Turkey's foreign minister Abdullah Gul has withdrawn his presidency bid following a second failed attempt to get elected by the country's parliament, with opposition MPs boycotting him due to fears over his Islamist roots.
The presidential election held on Sunday (6 May) was declared invalid as fewer than two-thirds of 550 deputies were present at the vote.
Earlier this month, the country's constitutional court ruled that the parliamentary election required such a quorum, meaning that the first poll's result in favour of Mr Gul was annulled.
The governing Justice and Development party (AKP) of Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted with dismay to the ruling and called an early general election - scheduled for 22 July. MORE http://euobserver.com/9/24003/?rk=1
The presidential election held on Sunday (6 May) was declared invalid as fewer than two-thirds of 550 deputies were present at the vote.
Earlier this month, the country's constitutional court ruled that the parliamentary election required such a quorum, meaning that the first poll's result in favour of Mr Gul was annulled.
The governing Justice and Development party (AKP) of Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted with dismay to the ruling and called an early general election - scheduled for 22 July. MORE http://euobserver.com/9/24003/?rk=1