Turkey sets an example in working to balance Islam and democracy Thursday, April 26, 2007 The Daily Star Lebanon http://www.dailystar.com.lb
Editorial Barring last-minute army intervention or any other unforeseen surprises, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul looks set to become the next president of Turkey in early May when Ahmet Necdet Sezer leaves office. Gul's wealth of experience as foreign minister, particularly his key role in advancing Turkey's bid to join the European Union, make him a highly qualified candidate for the post. Clearly, this is the consensus among international investors, who have already responded positively to the decision by boosting the country's lira currency and sovereign bonds. The fact that the AK party chose Gul as its candidate instead of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan is in many ways a testament to the party's willingness to compromise on important issues and to make responsible choices that are in the best interest of the country. In recent weeks, the mere notion that Erdogan might run for the office prompted howls of protest from the country's staunch secularists. Even now that the ruling party made what was arguably a concession to the secularist establishment by choosing Gul, the debate over the rise of an Islamist president is still raging. Much of the controversy is focused on the fact that the candidate's wife, Hayrunisa Gul, wears a headscarf; hard-core secularists are appalled by the notion of having a veiled first lady living in the presidential palace. But Turkey's secular democracy, which is hardly flimsy and has survived for decades, even in times of turbulence and political transition, will not be brought down by a piece of fabric. Those of us in the Arab world who are witnessing the national discussion unfold in Turkish newspapers and the public sphere admire the fact that the country's democracy is so well entrenched that it easily allows for such an open and spirited debate. Turkey, which has assumed an increasingly prominent diplomatic role in the Middle East, remains a model for our region and our world at a deeply divisive time in history. The Turks' ability to blend strong Muslim traditions with liberal, cosmopolitan and modern norms demonstrate that Islam and democracy need not be viewed as incompatible. Indeed, Turkey's case has shown that the two values are a healthy complement to one another.
