Turkey calls early election for November

Parliament overwhelmingly approved the motion for polls with 449 in favour, 62 against and three abstentions.

Turkey's parliament have voted to hold an early general election on November 3rd that should end months of political turmoil threatening the country's $16 billion International Monetary Fund rescue programme.

Parliament overwhelmingly approved the motion for polls with 449 in favour, 62 against and three abstentions.

The vote will come as the NATO member seeks to win a date for membership talks with the European Union, and may be called upon by Washington for support in a military campaign against Iraq.

Ailing Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit fought a losing battle against his coalition allies, arguing that an early election would damage the economy and play into the hands of Islamist extremists and Kurdish separatists.

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Mr Ecevit's government is expected to remain in power until the election. But his government has been crumbling ever since he fell ill in early May. Mr Ecevit was admitted to hospital twice and in his absence divisions deepened in his three-party coalition over sensitive human rights reforms aimed at bringing Turkey closer to the European Union it hopes to join.