ANKARA, Aug 21: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the influential army to keep out of politics, following the start of a presidential election that a former Islamist is set to win, Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday.

The military “should stay in its place... All institutions should act in line with the mandate they are given by the constitution,” Erdogan was quoted as saying.

“If we believe in democracy, we should not involve the Turkish armed forces in politics,” he said. “For us, the armed forces are sacred... (but) they have their own place and politicians have another place in democracy.”

On Monday, parliament, dominated by Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), held the first in a series of votes to elect Turkey’s next president.

The frontrunner, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the 550-seat house, but is poised to win in the third round next week when the AKP’s 340 deputies can easily secure the absolute majority of 276 that is needed.

Gul’s first bid for the presidency was blocked by a harsh secularist campaign in April on grounds that the former Islamist is not truly committed to the secular system, forcing snap general election on July 22.

At the climax of the crisis, the military, which has toppled four governments in as many decades, said it considered the secular system under threat and vowed to defend it.

It has remained silent about Gul’s re-nomination for the presidency, which followed the AKP’s landslide victory in the July 22 polls.

The military on Tuesday denied media reports that Chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit held secret talks with Gul and reached a consensus on his candidacy. “As it is known, the Turkish armed forces share their views with the public openly when it is deemed necessary,” the statement said.

“Reports that the chief of general staff held talks with some politicians in the presidential election process and reached an agreement are imaginary. It is out of the question for the Turkish armed forces to bargain on any issue with any person or institution.”

Ten years ago the army did not hesitate to unseat Turkey’s first Islamist-led government, of which Gul was a member.

Gul has pledged to stay loyal to the secular system and be impartial if elected.

“Once Mr Gul is elected, his link with our party would be over. From that moment on, he would be the president of the Turkish Republic,” Erdogan said.

Turkey’s president is a largely ceremonial figure, but has the authority to name senior bureaucrats and judges and to return legislation to parliament.—AFP