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| Turkish PM vows to pursue reform | Turkish PM vows to pursue reform |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to continue reforms and efforts to join the EU, following his party's sweeping victory in general elections. | Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to continue reforms and efforts to join the EU, following his party's sweeping victory in general elections. |
| Mr Erdogan also said his AK Party, led by religious conservatives, would seek national unity and respect Turkey's secular constitution. | Mr Erdogan also said his AK Party, led by religious conservatives, would seek national unity and respect Turkey's secular constitution. |
| Unofficial results gave the AK Party about 47% of the vote, prompting wild street celebrations by supporters. | Unofficial results gave the AK Party about 47% of the vote, prompting wild street celebrations by supporters. |
| Opponents had insisted that an AKP win could undermine Turkey's secularism. | Opponents had insisted that an AKP win could undermine Turkey's secularism. |
| The secularists' fear and dislike of political Islam is very real and not feigned BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2007/07/turkeys_political_gap.html">Mardell's thoughts in full Send us your reaction | |
| The election was called after opposition parties in parliament blocked the AK Party's nominee for the post of president, causing political deadlock. | The election was called after opposition parties in parliament blocked the AK Party's nominee for the post of president, causing political deadlock. |
| One of the new parliament's first tasks will be to decide what to do about the post of the presidency. | One of the new parliament's first tasks will be to decide what to do about the post of the presidency. |
| But despite his election win, Mr Erdogan will lack the two-thirds parliamentary majority to force through his presidential choice. | But despite his election win, Mr Erdogan will lack the two-thirds parliamentary majority to force through his presidential choice. |
| EU goal | EU goal |
| In the capital Ankara, Mr Erdogan told his jubilant supporters that the AKP victory was a triumph for Turkish democracy. | In the capital Ankara, Mr Erdogan told his jubilant supporters that the AKP victory was a triumph for Turkish democracy. |
| In pictures: Victory party Turkish election primer Turkish voters' views | In pictures: Victory party Turkish election primer Turkish voters' views |
| He promised to "press ahead with reforms and the economic development that we have been following so far". | He promised to "press ahead with reforms and the economic development that we have been following so far". |
| "We will continue to work with determination to achieve our European Union goal," he said. | "We will continue to work with determination to achieve our European Union goal," he said. |
| The prime minister also vowed to continue the fight against Kurdish rebels in the east of Turkey. | The prime minister also vowed to continue the fight against Kurdish rebels in the east of Turkey. |
| The AKP's 47% means it would get up to 341 seats in the 550-member parliament. | The AKP's 47% means it would get up to 341 seats in the 550-member parliament. |
| Two opposition parties won the 10% share needed to guarantee seats in parliament: the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP) polled 20%, and the right-wing Nationalist Action Party (MHP) 14%. | Two opposition parties won the 10% share needed to guarantee seats in parliament: the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP) polled 20%, and the right-wing Nationalist Action Party (MHP) 14%. |
| Estimates said the CHP would win up to 112 seats and the MHP some 70 seats, with up to 27 going to independent candidates, including pro-Kurdish politicians. | Estimates said the CHP would win up to 112 seats and the MHP some 70 seats, with up to 27 going to independent candidates, including pro-Kurdish politicians. |
| Although the AKP has been returned to power with a larger share of the vote, the presence of a third political party in the parliament means it will have fewer seats, reports the BBC's Pam O'Toole. | Although the AKP has been returned to power with a larger share of the vote, the presence of a third political party in the parliament means it will have fewer seats, reports the BBC's Pam O'Toole. |
| She adds that the presence of Kurdish deputies and the Nationalist Action Party could be a potentially explosive mix in parliament. | She adds that the presence of Kurdish deputies and the Nationalist Action Party could be a potentially explosive mix in parliament. |
| Military warning | Military warning |
| The election was touted as one of the most important in Turkey's history. | The election was touted as one of the most important in Turkey's history. |
| Turnout was reported to be extremely high, with many people breaking off holidays to return home to vote. | Turnout was reported to be extremely high, with many people breaking off holidays to return home to vote. |
| It is not clear how the staunchly secularist military will react to the re-election of the AKP. | It is not clear how the staunchly secularist military will react to the re-election of the AKP. |
| During the deadlock over the presidency, the army said it was prepared to step in to defend Turkey's strict secular system. | During the deadlock over the presidency, the army said it was prepared to step in to defend Turkey's strict secular system. |
| Turkey's current president and its secularist establishment have vowed to resist what they regard as the Islamist agenda of the AK Party. | Turkey's current president and its secularist establishment have vowed to resist what they regard as the Islamist agenda of the AK Party. |
| Mr Erdogan's government dismisses that portrayal, pointing to its record of five straight years of economic growth and the start of membership negotiations with the European Union. | Mr Erdogan's government dismisses that portrayal, pointing to its record of five straight years of economic growth and the start of membership negotiations with the European Union. |