ANKARA, 12 April 2007 — Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan yesterday ruled out compromise talks with the main opposition party on next month’s presidential election, in a move likely to stoke political tensions further.
The staunchly secularist main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has threatened to mount legal challenges if Erdogan, a former Islamist, stands for the presidency.
“There is no point talking with the main opposition party inside or outside Parliament (about the elections), it’s a waste of time. They have made very ugly statements,” Erdogan said. But Erdogan said he was still willing to discuss the presidential election with other smaller parties in Parliament.
Turkish financial markets, buoyed by an upbeat mood in global bourses, shrugged off Erdogan’s comments to journalists. Parliament, where Erdogan’s ruling center-right AK Party has a big majority, is due to elect a successor to secular President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in May. Erdogan is under mounting pressure from his own party to run for the top post.
The CHP has threatened to walk out of the chamber if Erdogan stands and says it would appeal to the Constitutional Court to annul his election on the grounds that there would not be a sufficient number of deputies taking part in the vote. The AK Party, which is expected to announce its presidential candidate next week, has dismissed the CHP threats.
Turkish secularists are due to stage a big protest rally in Ankara on Saturday against Erdogan becoming president. Erdogan, speaking later to party members, said Turks had the democratic right to join protest rallies but he also warned against organized efforts to whip up political tensions.
Erdogan, who has presided over strong economic growth and the launch of European Union membership talks, denies the secularists’ claims that he would try to undermine Turkey’s separation of state and religion if elected president.
In a possible hint he may decide to run for president and rise above partisan politics, Erdogan, seen as one of Turkey’s most charismatic and popular politicians, also said his party represented the whole nation, not just one class or region.
Turkey also faces parliamentary elections in November, but many political analysts expect them to be brought forward if Erdogan becomes president to lessen the period of uncertainty.
