Islamists in Turkey take strong lead vote

ANKARA, Turkey. A party with Islamic roots took a commanding lead in Turkish elections Sunday, powered by voters angry at their country's slide into its worst economic crisis in decades. The Justice and Development Party took 35 per cent of the vote with almost half the vote counted and was likely to be able to form a government without coalition partners.

«The preliminary results show that we are ahead by a great margin». the leader of the Justice party said in a news conference. He said that his government's first priority will be to «speedily pursue the EU membership process». He said that his government will «follow an economic program to integrate the country with the world».

«We have no intention to challenge the world», he told Dow Jones Newswires. «Under our government. Turkey will be in harmony with the world». With 47 per cent of the total electorate's vote counted, the Justice and Development Party was taking 35 per cent of the vote, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. Its rival Republican People's Party was taking 19 per cent of the vote and coming in second. Anatolia said.

No other party had more than 10 per cent of the vote, the threshold that parties must cross to enter parliament. Prime Minister 's party was taking only 1 per cent of the vote and his coalition partners were well below the 10 per cent threshold needed for entry into parliament. «We committed suicide», the Prime Minister said, referring to parliament's agreement to hold elections 18 months early. Legislators agreed to the vote amid Ecevit's failing health. Like many secularists, he also expressed concern over the Justice party's Islamic roots. Many secularists fear that the party may try and carry out an Islamic agenda once it is elected. The Justice party has tried to distance itself from its Islamic roots and says that it is a secular, democratic party that is not looking to promote an Islamic agenda.

«I carry those concerns», the Prime Minister said. «I hope this party respects the secular and democratic regime». The Justice party was established last year by lawmakers from a banned pro-Islamic party and has already sparked tensions with the secular establishment. Justice has not specified who will serve as prime minister if it forms the next government.

During the campaign, the party says it would concentrate on social welfare and support Turkey's US $31 billion IMF⁴-backed recovery program. Voters eager for a change have been supporting the Justice party. «I voted for Justice because we have no trust left in the other parties», one of them said after casting her vote in Istanbul. «We want an end to poverty».

The voting comes as the United States is trying to showcase Turkey as an example of a secular, democratic country that is overwhelmingly Muslim but has cast its future with the West.

A party with Islamic roots taking power could lead to instability and tensions in the region. Observers point out that many of the party's loyalists were members of previous more radical movement and may not be satisfied with the non-confrontational attitude adopted by their leaders.