Tens of thousands of Turks wave their national flags to oppose the government's presidential candidate during a rally in Istanbul April 29, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
ANKARA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Constitutional Court on Tuesday cancelled the first round of presidential vote because the requirement of a quorum of 367 was not reached, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Hasim Kilic, deputy chief judge of the court, was quoted as saying that the second round could not be held and the first round had to be repeated.
"We cancelled the first round and the related decision of the parliament. The process was related with the cancellation of the first round. After this development the parliament will decide whether to continue or not," said Kilic.
Kilic added that a quorum of 367 was a requirement for the first two rounds of presidential elections.
Meanwhile, according to local CNN Turk's report, the court annulled the presidential vote dominated by concerns over the rising profile of political Islam, opening the way for possible early general elections.
The Constitutional Court made the decision after several hours' meeting of the court, said the report.
The main opposition secularists Republican People's Party (CHP), which boycotted the vote for the election, filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court claiming that no quorum was established essential for the voting.
Late Friday, the staunchly secularist Turkish army issued a statement, saying that it was watching with concern the debate over secular system in the presidential elections and would "openly display its position and attitudes when it becomes necessary."
The Turkish government on Saturday criticized the army's threat to defend the country's secularism by intervening in domestic politics.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, presidential candidate of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), failed to garner the required two-thirds majority of 367 votes in the first round of voting Friday.
A total of 361 MPs cast their votes in the first round of elections at the chamber. Three votes were invalid and one vote was vacant.
ANKARA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday strongly criticized the decision of the Constitutional Court on cancellation of the first round of the presidential election. Full story
ANKARA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that the AKP had asked parliament to declare early general elections to be held on June 24 or July 1. Full story
ANKARA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late Tuesday night that the government would apply to the parliament on Wednesday morning to predate the general elections.
Speaking at a press conference, Erdogan said that he would seek early legislative elections as early as June 24 after the country's top court annulled a parliamentary vote to elect the next president. Full story
ANKARA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that the presidential election rounds will continue as of Thursday.
Erdogan made the remarks at a news conference at his Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters following a meeting with members of the AKP Central Executive Board after the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of presidential voting on Friday because the requirement of a quorum of 367 was not reached. Full story
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