"The burden of victory
Jul 26th 2007 | ANKARA
From The Economist print edition
The ruling AK party has won resoundingly, but it needs to act cautiously
AFP
EVEN fans of Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were surprised by the scale of his success. His mildly Islamist Justice and Development (AK) party won 47% of the vote on July 22nd, a 12-point increase in the vote that swept him to office in 2002. During the campaign those who had predicted the success, such as Taha Erdem, a respected pollster, were accused of taking sides. “A fat lie,” declared Mine Kirikkanat, a pro-secular commentator, who has since had to eat her words. Others who have been soundly rebuked by the voters include the army, which helped to precipitate the early elections by trying to block AK's choice of candidate as Turkey's new president."
More:Elections in Turkey | The burden of victory | Economist.com