700,000 Turks Protest Possible Muslim President

By Christopher Torchia

At least 700,000 people marched Sunday in a massive protest against the possible election of an observant Muslim as president, a conflict that is pitting Turkey’s religiously oriented ruling party against the deeply secular military and civilian establishment.

Waving the country’s red flag and singing nationalist songs, demonstrators in Istanbul demanded the resignation of the pro- Islamic government, calling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a traitor. Erdogan’s foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, is widely expected to win the presidential election by the country’s 550-seat parliament.

The election has reignited a conflict over Turkey’s national identity that has brewed since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, an army officer in World War I, founded the secular republic after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

But Islam remained potent at the grassroots level, and some leaders with religious backgrounds have portrayed themselves as alternatives to the secular establishment.

Many, including powerful generals, fear Gul would use the presidency — a post with veto power over legislation — to assist his ally, Erdogan, in chipping away at the separation of state and religion.

“Turkey is secular and will remain secular!” shouted thousands of protesters, many of whom traveled to Istanbul from across the country overnight.

Turkish police estimated their numbers at about 700,000 and cordoned off the protest area, conducting searches at several entry points.

More than 300,000 took part in a similar rally in the capital Ankara two weeks ago.

“This government is the enemy of Ataturk,” said 63-year-old Ahmet Yurdakul, a retired government employee among the demonstrators on Sunday. “It wants to drag Turkey to the dark ages.”

On Friday, Gul failed to win a first round of voting in parliament after opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote. The opposition then appealed to the Constitutional Court to annul the result on grounds that there was not a quorum present at the time of the vote. That night, the military threatened to intervene in the election.

“It should not be forgotten that the Turkish armed forces is one of the sides in this debate and the absolute defender of secularism,” the military said in a statement. “When necessary, they will display its stance and attitudes very clearly. No one should doubt that.”

A day later, the government, showing confidence unknown in past civilian administrations, rebuked the military and said it was “unthinkable” for the institution to challenge its political leaders in a democracy.

The court’s ruling on whether a quorum was present at the vote on Friday is expected soon. A ruling for the government could lead to a second round of voting on Wednesday. Gul is the only candidate and is expected to prevail by a third round planned for May 9. A ruling for the opposition would stop the vote, possibly leading to early general elections.

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