Turkey returns to single-party rule in boost for Erdogan

[Little Tich]

Source: Reuters

Turkey's Islamist-rooted AK Party swept to an unexpected victory in elections on Sunday, returning the country to single-party rule in an outcome that will boost the power of President Tayyip Erdogan but may sharpen deep social divisions.

With almost all ballots counted, the AKP had taken just shy of 50 percent of the votes, comfortably enough to control a majority in the 550-seat parliament and a far higher margin of victory than even party insiders had expected.

Erdogan said the outcome was a vote for stability, and a message to Kurdish insurgents in the country's restive southeast that violence could not coexist with democracy.

Prime Minister and AKP leader Ahmet Davutoglu tweeted simply "Elhamdulillah" (Thanks be to god), before emerging from his family home in the central Anatolian city of Konya to briefly address crowds of cheering supporters.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/11/01/uk-turkey-election-idUKKCN0SP17S20151101

[Marksman_91]

1. I worry about Turkey

Erdogan is an Islamist leader, I fear he would make the country less secular and increase irrational fundamentalism, turning it into another Iran. I hope I'm wrong, but that's the vibe I'm getting

[starroute]

2. Does "unexpected" = stolen ?

I know there were fears of fraud beforehand. The question is whether anyone will have the courage to press the issue now.

[rafeh1]

3. Turkey should change its constitution to follow US model

US presidential system is better. Unlike prime ministers who can be out in one day.
They should also have 2 term limits and bill of rights