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| Turkey retries presidential vote | Turkey retries presidential vote |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Turkey's parliament is to meet soon for a second attempt to elect a new president, a day after thousands called for the only candidate to be withdrawn. | Turkey's parliament is to meet soon for a second attempt to elect a new president, a day after thousands called for the only candidate to be withdrawn. |
| The protest was the third this month to be organised by supporters of Turkey's secular constitution, who object to Islamist Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. | The protest was the third this month to be organised by supporters of Turkey's secular constitution, who object to Islamist Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. |
| An opposition boycott in the first round led to Mr Gul failing to win a majority and the vote being annulled. | An opposition boycott in the first round led to Mr Gul failing to win a majority and the vote being annulled. |
| Mr Gul said he would withdraw if MPs failed to elect him on Sunday. | |
| The ruling AK party said the ruling was like "firing a bullet at democracy". | The ruling AK party said the ruling was like "firing a bullet at democracy". |
| The party's leader, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reacted by calling an early election for 22 July, and by proposing a series of electoral reforms. | The party's leader, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reacted by calling an early election for 22 July, and by proposing a series of electoral reforms. |
| He said he wanted the president to serve up to two five-year terms, instead of one seven-year term, and for parliament's term to last four years instead of five. | He said he wanted the president to serve up to two five-year terms, instead of one seven-year term, and for parliament's term to last four years instead of five. |
| Mr Erdogan also said he wanted the president elected by the people not parliament. | Mr Erdogan also said he wanted the president elected by the people not parliament. |
| On Saturday, Mr Gul said he would win easily if that were the case. | On Saturday, Mr Gul said he would win easily if that were the case. |
| Deep divisions | Deep divisions |
| Following the ruling by Turkey's constitutional court that a quorum of two-thirds of the 550 lawmakers had not been present on 27 April, the first round will be re-run on Sunday at 1100 (0800 GMT). | Following the ruling by Turkey's constitutional court that a quorum of two-thirds of the 550 lawmakers had not been present on 27 April, the first round will be re-run on Sunday at 1100 (0800 GMT). |
| Mr Gul requires a two-thirds majority - 367 votes - to be elected president in the first round. His party hold 350 seats in parliament. | Mr Gul requires a two-thirds majority - 367 votes - to be elected president in the first round. His party hold 350 seats in parliament. |
| KEY DATES 2 May: Ruling party requests early elections6 May: Suggested first re-run of parliamentary election for president16 May: President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's term ends22 July: Likely date for early general election (currently set for November) Q&A: Turkey's crisis Tough test for democracy | KEY DATES 2 May: Ruling party requests early elections6 May: Suggested first re-run of parliamentary election for president16 May: President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's term ends22 July: Likely date for early general election (currently set for November) Q&A: Turkey's crisis Tough test for democracy |
| If he fails to gain opposition support, the foreign minister will need the same majority in a second round vote on 9 May. | If he fails to gain opposition support, the foreign minister will need the same majority in a second round vote on 9 May. |
| However, if the election goes to a third round on 12 May, Mr Gul will only require 276 votes to win. | However, if the election goes to a third round on 12 May, Mr Gul will only require 276 votes to win. |
| The row over the presidency has exposed deep divisions in Turkey. | The row over the presidency has exposed deep divisions in Turkey. |
| The army, which has long regarded itself as the guardian of the country's secular constitution, has voiced its opposition to Mr Gul's candidacy. | The army, which has long regarded itself as the guardian of the country's secular constitution, has voiced its opposition to Mr Gul's candidacy. |
| It believes Mr Gul has an Islamist agenda, an allegation he denies. He has pledged to adhere to the republic's secular principles if he were elected. | It believes Mr Gul has an Islamist agenda, an allegation he denies. He has pledged to adhere to the republic's secular principles if he were elected. |
| Mr Gul's promise was not enough, however, to stop further protests by tens of thousands of secular Turks against his candidacy in the towns of Manisa and Canakkale on Saturday. | Mr Gul's promise was not enough, however, to stop further protests by tens of thousands of secular Turks against his candidacy in the towns of Manisa and Canakkale on Saturday. |
| Earlier demonstrations in Ankara and Istanbul drew more than a million. | Earlier demonstrations in Ankara and Istanbul drew more than a million. |
| The term of the current president, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, finishes on 16 May. | The term of the current president, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, finishes on 16 May. |