Turkish Parliament Cancels Presidential Vote

Abdullah Gul (file photo) (epa) May 9, 2007 -- Turkey's parliament has officially halted a presidential election process that triggered a major political crisis and forced the Islamist-rooted government to call early elections.

A new parliament will now choose a president after a July 22 poll.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will stay on as interim head of state.

The opposition boycotted two rounds of voting on Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's candidacy, saying Turkey's secular state was at risk through encroaching Islamization.

(Reuters)