Process of Turkey's presidential election continues: deputy PM

Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener on Monday said that the process of presidential election is going on as defined by the Turkish Constitution.

Sener made the remarks at a press briefing held at the Prime Ministry, saying that a constitutional process is working.

"There is only one candidate. Since he did not receive the required number of votes in the first round (367 votes), a second round of voting will take place on Wednesday," said Sener.

The main opposition secularists Republican People's Party (CHP), which boycotted the vote, filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court claiming that no quorum was established essential for the voting last Friday.

If the court upholds the CHP's appeal, a scheduled general election in November, will be called within 90 days. Otherwise, Gul will be elected as the new president in a third round of voting on May 9, when 276 votes will be sufficient.

Sener added "we are waiting for the decision of the court. Mr. Gul's candidacy continues to be valid."

On the large-scale republican demonstration held in Caglayan district of Istanbul on Sunday, Sener stressed that "Turkey is a democratic country where citizens can get organized and may demonstrate their feelings and thoughts. We all share the same concerns of those who participated in the Caglayan demonstration. We are firmly committed to protecting our republic and are deeply attached to the values of the republic."

Meanwhile, "Turkish parliament will successfully complete the presidential election process," Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who is visiting Alanya town of southern city of Antalya, was quoted as saying by Anatolia news agency at the same day,

Arinc said, "the parliament will successfully finalize this process. There is no need for speculation."

On the demonstration held in Caglayan Square in Istanbul on Sunday, Arinc said, "I saw the photos in newspapers. It was a magnificent one. We consider that people should use their democratic rights."

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, presidential candidate of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), failed to garner the required two-thirds majority of 367 votes in the first round of voting on Friday.

Late Friday, the staunchly secularist Turkish army issued a statement, saying that it was watching with concern the debate over secular system in the presidential elections and would " openly display its position and attitudes when it becomes necessary."

On Saturday, Turkish government criticized the army's threat to defend the country's secularism by intervening in domestic politics.

Gul, a close ally of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told a news conference on Sunday that he would not retreat from the elections.

Source: Xinhua