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Turkish PM shuns presidency bid Turkey 'must have secular leader'
(about 3 hours later)
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has been named as the governing AK party's candidate for president, the prime minister has announced. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has pledged to adhere to secular principles if, as expected, he is elected president.
The decision comes after thousands took to the streets to urge Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to stand. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Tuesday that Mr Gul had been named the governing AK party's candidate.
Secularists say Mr Erdogan's former Islamist links make him too divisive a figure to be president. The decision came after thousands had taken to the streets to urge Mr Erdogan not to stand.
Parliament will hold the first round of voting on Friday, and the AK's majority means its candidate is likely to win. Secularists fear that a president from the AK - a party with Islamist roots - could undermine Turkey's secular order.
Mr Gul insisted that "the president must be loyal to secular principles", adding: "If I am elected I will act accordingly".
Both Mr Erdogan and Mr Gul have wives who wear the Islamic headscarf - a highly divisive issue in Turkey.
Mr Gul defended the headscarf choice on Tuesday, saying "these are individual preferences and everybody should respect them".
Parliament will hold the first round of voting on Friday and the AK's majority means its candidate is likely to win.
Turkey has been a republic since 1923, with a strict separation of religion and the state.Turkey has been a republic since 1923, with a strict separation of religion and the state.
Establishment pressure
The AK party has its roots in political Islam.The AK party has its roots in political Islam.
Both Mr Erdogan and Mr Gul have wives who wear the Islamic headscarf - a highly divisive issue in Turkey. But correspondents say that Mr Gul is seen as less confrontational. But correspondents say that Mr Gul is seen as less confrontational than Mr Erdogan.
Turkey's chief of staff, Gen Yasar Buyukanit, and outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer have urged the new president to defend Turkey's secular values.Turkey's chief of staff, Gen Yasar Buyukanit, and outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer have urged the new president to defend Turkey's secular values.
Speaking to the AK group in parliament, Mr Erdogan said Mr Gul "is the person who emerged at the end of our evaluations as the candidate to become Turkey's 11th president". Speaking to the AK group in parliament, Mr Erdogan said Mr Gul was "the person who emerged at the end of our evaluations as the candidate to become Turkey's 11th president".
There will be several rounds of voting in the 550-member parliament before the new head of state takes office on 16 May.There will be several rounds of voting in the 550-member parliament before the new head of state takes office on 16 May.
Mr Gul, 56, has steered Turkey's European Union accession talks since becoming foreign minister in 2003.Mr Gul, 56, has steered Turkey's European Union accession talks since becoming foreign minister in 2003.
He had a brief spell as prime minister after the AK party's election victory in November 2002.He had a brief spell as prime minister after the AK party's election victory in November 2002.
Educated in England as well as Turkey, he is an English speaker and is regarded as a moderate, the BBC's Pam O'Toole reports.Educated in England as well as Turkey, he is an English speaker and is regarded as a moderate, the BBC's Pam O'Toole reports.