Turkey votes for early elections

Ecevit opposes early elections

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Turkey's parliament has voted to hold early elections that markets hope will end political turmoil threatening the country's $16 billion IMF rescue programme.

The November elections will come at a time when NATO-member Turkey is seeking to win a date for membership talks with the European Union, and may be called upon by Washington for support in a military campaign against Iraq, Reuters news agency said.

The vote came days after a senior parliamentary committee overwhelmingly approved a proposal for the date, despite Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's objections. (Story)

His party has recently suffered mass defections, which have led to the loss of his government's absolute majority in parliament.

The nationalists in the coalition government said elections were the best way to end the uncertainty.

In an emergency session of parliament, lawmakers voted 449 to 62 on Wednesday in favour of a proposal brought by nationalists in the coalition government to hold elections on 3 November.

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

Ecevit, 77, has warned that elections could hurt Turkey's efforts to join the EU -- as well as damaging the fragile economy and possibly bringing an Islamic party to power.

He has also warned against elections when a U.S.-led military action against neighbouring Iraq could be looming.

Parties from across the political divide believe an early poll will end the political deadlock sparked by Ecevit's ill health and his coalition allies' in-fighting over the EU-oriented reforms, which are opposed by the coalition's nationalist wing.

Nearly two weeks ago, Ecevit agreed to hold early polls 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 he later changed his mind and began lobbying against any such move.

Ecevit's government has presided over Turkey's deepest recession since World War II, with the economy shrinking 9.4 percent last year amid mass layoffs. Voters are widely expected to punish the coalition parties at the ballot box.

Most opinion polls show a pro-Islamic opposition party as the likely top party to emerge from the November elections.