Islam Gains in Turkish Elections

(Ankara, Turkey) The Islamist-rooted Justice and Development (AK) Party, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, won a decisive majority of Turkish parliamentary seats in elections today. The unicameral Grand National Assembly has 550 parliamentarians and at least 340 will now be AK members chosen by 47% of the voters.

The Republican People's Party (CHP), billed as equivalent to the European Social Democrats, is the main opposition to the AK Party, winning at least 110 seats and 21% of the votes.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), known for its "ultra-nationalism" and militancy, won at least 70 seats with about 15% of the votes.

Independent candidates, the Young Party (GP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the Motherland Party (ANAP), the True Path Party (DYP) and the Democrat Party (DP) didn't pick up enough votes to be a factor. Under Turkish parliamentary rules, a party must garner at least 10% of the votes cast to qualify for proportional representation.

Key Points:

- The Islamist-rooted AK Party gained in strength, setting the stage for increased tension between Muslims and the secular establishment with its powerful army ally.

- The decrease in secular influences and the likelihood of more religion-based government could delay membership in the European Union.

- Despite high hopes, it appears that insufficient votes were cast to increase the number of women in the Grand National Assembly above the 4.4% garnered in 2002. Since women's rights are set as a prerequisite to EU membership, the low level of female representation could be a deal-breaker. Currently, female illiteracy is around 20 percent, honour killings are common and only 72 percent of girls enroll in secondary school.

- The MHP and the CHP are overtly and tacitly supporting a growing nationalism movement which fosters opposition to EU membership while continuing to stoke the conflict with the Kurds.

- Encapsulated, the outcome of the election went swimmingly against snuggly relations with the EU and the West.

Over 33 million voters went to the polls out of 42.5 million registered to vote.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.