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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Rural deaths mar Turkish election | Rural deaths mar Turkish election |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| At least five people have been killed more than 50 injured in mainly Kurdish areas of eastern Turkey, as the country voted in key local elections. | At least five people have been killed more than 50 injured in mainly Kurdish areas of eastern Turkey, as the country voted in key local elections. |
| The fatalities came as supporters of rival candidates for the non-party position of village chief fought armed battles in several locations. | The fatalities came as supporters of rival candidates for the non-party position of village chief fought armed battles in several locations. |
| Partial results from provincial and municipal polls suggest a clear win for the governing AKP. | |
| The AKP was put on trial last year and faced closure. | The AKP was put on trial last year and faced closure. |
| It was charged with threatening Turkey's strictly secular system. | It was charged with threatening Turkey's strictly secular system. |
| With a potentially strong mandate despite the economic downturn, the AKP (Justice and Development Party) will likely focus on democratic reform, and a loan agreement with the IMF which will entail restrictions on spending. | |
| Win assured | Win assured |
| The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says that while this was a local election it felt like a national one, and almost every street is festooned with party flags and posters. | The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says that while this was a local election it felt like a national one, and almost every street is festooned with party flags and posters. |
| The AKP wants to prove it is at least as popular now as in the national election in 2007 | The AKP wants to prove it is at least as popular now as in the national election in 2007 |
| Party leaders - especially the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan - have been touring the country for several weeks, staging mass political rallies. | Party leaders - especially the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan - have been touring the country for several weeks, staging mass political rallies. |
| The AKP wants to prove it is at least as popular now as it was in the national election in 2007, our correspondent says. | |
| It was re-elected then with 47% of the vote, and then survived a trial aimed at closing it down as a threat to secularism. | It was re-elected then with 47% of the vote, and then survived a trial aimed at closing it down as a threat to secularism. |
| The shrinking economy and rising unemployment are bound to influence some voters, our correspondent adds, but Mr Erdogan is still the most popular politician here by far. | |
| A strong win should allow the government to re-focus attention on democratic reforms. | A strong win should allow the government to re-focus attention on democratic reforms. |
| It is also expected to conclude talks with the International Monetary Fund for a multi-billion dollar loan to help Turkey weather the economic crisis. | It is also expected to conclude talks with the International Monetary Fund for a multi-billion dollar loan to help Turkey weather the economic crisis. |