Turkish parliament backs reform plan

By Daniel Bases

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament gave initial approval on Monday to a major constitutional amendment to make the presidency a popularly elected post, a move that could rekindle tension between the government and secularists.

The Islamist-rooted ruling AK Party moved the reforms after secularist opposition parties boycotted a parliamentary vote and prevented Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul becoming president. The secularist establishment fears AK seeks the presidency to press a secret Islamist agenda, a charge the government denies.

State-run Anatolian news agency said 356 deputies out of 550 members voted for the reform, part of a package which must be debated and approved a second time before it can be sent to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer for him to sign it into law.

Gul withdrew his candidacy for the presidency on Sunday after pressure from the opposition, army, courts and protesters, and the government called early elections for July.

Many expect staunch secularist Sezer or the courts to block the proposals for direct elections to the presidency, a largely ceremonial position that does however carry some veto powers.

AK says the reforms aim to make Turkey more democratic, but critics say they have not been properly thought through and could upset the checks and balances in the constitution.

Only a handful of opposition MPs voted for the package despite backing last week from the smaller ANAP party.

"Whether it is a president elected through parliament or a popular vote you can't do this hastily. There needs to be a period of contemplation so that we don't have to change the system soon again," said Dogu Ergil of Ankara University.