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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Istanbul
27 July 2007
The July 22 general election in Turkey resulted in a landslide1 victory for the Islamic rooted Justice and Development party, or AK. While many people in Turkey are still coming to terms with the scale of the victory, another important decision - who will be president - is coming in the near future. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
Turkey's victorious2 Justice and Development Party is celebrating, but it faces a series of challenges, including the lingering tension over the role of Islam in Turkish society and the selection of a new president.
salutes3 supporters of his Justice and Development Party during election rally" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070728/1120530.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" /> |
Recep Tayyip Erdogan salutes supporters of his Justice and Development Party during election rally, 20 Jul 2007 |
In a low-key speech, he struck a conciliatory note.
"Democracy and the republic came out stronger with this election," he said. "That's why the winners of this election are our nation, our people's future and secularism6."
Though Mr. Erdogan's party won a large popular mandate7, analysts8 say his close alliance with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul could cause some problems in the coming paliamentary vote for president.
Gul, a devout9 Muslim, has indicated he would resume his bid for the presidency10 despite opposition11 from the military and the secular5 establishment. The opposition in parliament, fearful that Gul as president would chip away at Turkey's secular foundations, blocked his candidacy last April, forcing the country into early general elections.
Prime Minister Erdogan has said he wants to avoid fresh tensions and has vowed12 to consult with the opposition over who will succeed the current president, staunch secularist13 Ahmet Necdet Sezer.
Burak Bekdil of the Turkish Daily News says the prime minister will likely try to avoid any more political confrontation14.
"Well I am confident there will be a compromise candidate," Bekdil said, "most probably from the AK party ranks, but at the same time someone who is acceptable to the rest of the society and state establishment."
Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul speaks to the media during a news conference in Ankara, 25 July 2007 |
According to AK sources, support for Gul has soared within the party. In a news conference Wednesday, Gul himself indicated he still in the running for president.
"In making my decision I am very clear, that I am not in a position to ignore the powerful message from people attending election rallies throughout the country," Gul said. "Nobody can impose a political ban on someone else, so why shouldn't I be candidate. All these things will be revealed in the coming days. But for all of us our compass should be democracy."
But even if Mr. Erdogan decides to back his close friend and ally, his party does not have enough votes in parliament to muster15 the 367-mamber majority Gul will need to be elected.
Political columnist16 and former government adviser17 Nuray Mert says Mr. Erdogan faces a dilemma18.
"Well because Gul seems quite insistent19 in running for the presidency and the general atmosphere is against the idea," he said. "As far as I can observe, everybody is looking forward to the second which is stable economically but also politically. For political stablilty, there must be a compromise and consensus20 on the issue of the presidency and Gul can hardly be the name of compromise and consensus."
Clearly, by siding with Gul, the prime minister's risks reopening deep divisions within Turkey and putting at risk the political capital he has accumulated while in office. Political observers say the decision he makes could well determine the future of his next term in office.
1 landslide | |
n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票;一面倒的胜利 | |
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2 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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3 salutes | |
n.致敬,欢迎,敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎,致敬( salute的第三人称单数 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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4 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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5 secular | |
n.牧师,凡人;adj.世俗的,现世的,不朽的 | |
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6 secularism | |
n.现世主义;世俗主义;宗教与教育分离论;政教分离论 | |
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7 mandate | |
n.托管地;命令,指示 | |
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8 analysts | |
分析家,化验员( analyst的名词复数 ) | |
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9 devout | |
adj.虔诚的,虔敬的,衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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10 presidency | |
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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11 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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12 vowed | |
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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13 secularist | |
n.现世主义者,世俗主义者;宗教与教育分离论者 | |
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14 confrontation | |
n.对抗,对峙,冲突 | |
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15 muster | |
v.集合,收集,鼓起,激起;n.集合,检阅,集合人员,点名册 | |
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16 columnist | |
n.专栏作家 | |
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17 adviser | |
n.劝告者,顾问 | |
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18 dilemma | |
n.困境,进退两难的局面 | |
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19 insistent | |
adj.迫切的,坚持的 | |
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20 consensus | |
n.(意见等的)一致,一致同意,共识 | |
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