Turkey is Typing…Presidential Protests · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

As the Turkish Presidential race begins to gear up, the Republic of Turkey once again finds itself torn between the ideals of a secularist or Islamist state.  This week was marked by protests and editorial after editorial of speculation about the future of Turkey and whether the ideals of democracy will survive the next election.
Let's begin with the presidential calendar given to us by Erkan's Field Diary:
Candidacy applications started today. The presidential calendar:
April 16: Candidacy applications begin.
April 17: PM Erdoğan meets political party leaders, convenes his cabinet.
April 18: AKP's Central Executive Board (MKYK) convenes.
April 25: deadline for candidacy applications.
April 26: Parliament Speaker Arınç proposes two alternative dates for election tours. According to the first alternative the first tour will start on April 26. According to the constitution the second tour is scheduled for May 1, third tour May 8 and final tour May 15.
May 3:  The second alternative is to start on May 3 followed by the second tour on May 7, third tour on May 11 and the final tour on May 15. In these first two rounds of voting, in order to be elected president a candidate must receive support of at least three-fifths of the total 550 seats of the unicameral legislation, 367 votes.
May 16: Presiden Sezer completes his seven year term. The hand over ceremony takes place.
It is generally accepted that PM Tayyip Erdogan will run for the presidency, and with him a new wave of Islamist government will control the Republic of Turkey. Even though presidential speculation is nothing new to those familiar with Turkish politics, the heated discussion of secularism vs. Islam has come to a head.  Founded on the principles of Kemalism which stressed a secular state, modern Turkey's history has plagued with the issue of Islamic rule.  In fact the Turkish military has intervened in the form of a coup on more than one occasion to keep to the tenets of Kemalism.  The White Path sums up the debate well:
First one needs to understand where this debate comes from. Anyone who follows Turkish politics will note that there are circles within Turkey who think that secularism is the outmost principle and democracy can well be sacrificed for its sake. This means that, for example, if people elect a parliament and government that is not secular enough, the Turkish Armed Forces can stage a coup. Or softer measures can be used, such as the usurpation of political power by the judiciary and other bureaucratic institutions. (And when I say “not secular enough,” I don't mean an Islamism such as that of the Taliban; in Turkey a wife with a headscarf is simply enough of a heresy according to the standards of official illiberal secularism.)
However there are other proponents of secularism in Turkey, including myself, who think that secularism is only meaningful when it is supplemented by democracy. These people also note that it is not a danger to secularism if people with deeply rooted religious beliefs come to power. This view is generally referred to as the “liberal secularism,” whose adherents generally don't see any problem with Prime Minister Erdoğan and his government with respect to the “principles of the republic.”
On the 14th of April, the debate came to a physical manifestation–a pro-secular protest staged in the country's capital of Ankara.  Spooky Sense by Garfucius explains:
there was a huge rally protesting the premier's rather inarticulate desire and ambition to become president this weekend in the capital. according to reports, the tandoğan square in ankara, just a stone's throw from atatürk's mausoleum, the anıtkabir, turned into a “sea of flags” while hundreds of thousands declared fealty to the republican ideal of secularism.
the moderate and hardline pro-islamic pro-government front contended, rather than through counter-rallies, by verbally denouncing and decrying the secularists’ assembly and hanging posters, banners etc. that urged national will as reflected in parliament to prevail in electing the head of state.
Estimates of the crowd at the protest in Ankara are 300,000 to 1 million, but it would be foolish to predict that an Islamist government would not take control of Turkey judging just by the numbers of protesters.  Even so, optimism is high, as demonstrated by Ignore Me If You Can, who says that she lives in a country that…
Stands up for its beliefs. Where thousands of people from all over Turkey gather to become one, to make sure that their voice is heard. To make sure that the message is sent all around the world; “Turkey is a secular country and will stay secular, thanks to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk”. We will not let religious zealots take that away from us. 14th of April was a historical day for this nation. I am proud to be part of this country.
Needless to say, Turkey is in for a wild ride in the next month.
*Thumbnail photo credit to ckindel.