Turkey agrees early election date

Ecevit is opposed to the poll

ANKARA, Turkey -- A senior Turkish parliamentary committee has approved an emergency motion for a general election on November 3.

The constitutional committee's decision, taken on Tuesday, is now likely to be debated in the main assembly on Wednesday and is widely expected to be passed, despite opposition from Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's party.

The markets immediately took heart from the support to hold early elections. Share rose 1.61 percent and the lira currency firmed against the dollar.

"People are pretty much fed up with this political... uncertainty, so elections are good news for everyone," said Emre Balkeser, sales trader at Alfa Securities, told Reuters.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO Defections have left Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's party in fourth position (July 29) Play video

But he added that investors have lowered their expectations the EU-inspired reforms can pass through the fractious parliament.

In addition to the polls decision, the assembly is expected to debate a controversial package of rights reforms aimed at meeting European Union criteria and pushing forward Turkey's sagging bid to join the bloc.

Sensitive areas include expanding Kurdish language rights and ending capital punishment for peacetime offences.

Parliament was recalled from its summer recess on Monday to set the ball rolling for holding elections on November 3.

The move towards an early poll comes despite strong appeals from 77-year-old Ecevit.

Nearly two weeks ago, the ailing PM agreed to hold the early elections on November 3 in an attempt to fend off growing calls for his resignation after desertions that have cut his party in half, making it only the fourth largest in parliament.

But soon afterwards, Ecevit changed his mind and before Monday's vote had lobbied strongly against November elections, saying they would damage the economy, impede a European Union-inspired reform effort and bring pro-Islamist and Kurdish parties to power.

Last weekend, Ecevit met the board of his Democratic Left Party, which then announced they would like the elections to be delayed until as late as 2004 -- when elections must be held anyway.

Dozens of deputies have quit Ecevit's coalition in recent weeks after months of political wrangling and alleged economic mismanagement eroded support.

A recently formed party, "New Turkey," led by the former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will pose a challenge to Ecevit's Democratic Left party.

But Ecevit also fears the entry of Islamist and nationalist parties.

Voters have shown signs of turning towards a pro-Islamic party, Justice and Development, whose leader, former Istanbul mayor Recip Tayyip Erdogan, was once jailed for inciting religious hatred and who is currently serving a political ban.

On Tuesday, Ecevit met the country's top general, the president and foreign minister for talks on regional security and military appointments.