TURKEY: Turkey's parliament yesterday approved a major constitutional amendment to allow the president to be elected directly by voters, a move that could fan fresh tensions between the Islamist-rooted government and secularists.
However, the amendment, backed by more than two-thirds of MPs in the 550-seat assembly, must be signed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to become law. Mr Sezer, often at odds with the government, has signalled he might veto it.
The reform envisages Turkey's president being elected for a five-year term, renewable for a further five years. Parliament now elects the president for a non-renewable seven-year period.
The ruling centre-right AK Party decided to push the reform after losing a battle with the secular elite to get its presidential candidate, Abdullah Gul, elected in parliament. - (Reuters)