"Secularism v democracy
May 3rd 2007 | ANKARA AND ISTANBUL
From The Economist print edition
A military coup was avoided, but an early election looms. Turkey's problems are postponed, not solved
ITS prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said it was “a shot fired at democracy.” Others labelled it an “e-coup”. Whatever you call it, a threat to intervene against Turkey's mildly Islamist government posted on the general staff's website on April 27th has hurt democracy and deepened the chasm between the secular and the pious. A defiant Mr Erdogan has called for an early general election. It may take place in July, instead of the scheduled date, November 4th. Opinion polls suggest that his AK Party will again beat its secular rivals."
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