ANKARA, May 7: Turkish lawmakers on Monday debated sweeping constitutional reforms that would see the president elected by popular vote, as they sought a way out of a crisis over Turkey's secular roots.

The reforms, fielded by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), call for a two-round popular vote to elect the head of state, who is currently chosen by parliament.

The package would also allow a once-renewable five-year presidential mandate instead of the current single, seven-year term. General elections would be held every four years instead of the current five.

The debate saw heated arguments between the AKP and the main opposition which claims that with early general elections already scheduled for July 22, parliament should not make radical changes to the presidential election system.

The debate came a day after parliament failed, for a second time, to elect a president, with an opposition boycott preventing parliament reaching the required quorum for a vote.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a former Islamist who was the sole candidate for the presidency, withdrew his name after the failure.

The prospect of Gul as president had triggered mass secular protests and a tense stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the army which threatened to intervene to protect Turkey's secular regime.

The AKP is confident it can push the political reform through parliament with the backing of a small centre-right party, which will provide enough votes to secure the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution.

Lawmakers were expected to hold a first vote on the reform package late Monday or Tuesday. A final vote is expected later in the week.

Analysts have raised the possibility of the reforms being delayed as they will have to be approved by outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer before coming into force.

Legal experts have also warned that the AKP's push for constitutional amendments could create problems in the functioning of the state, and the influential business association TUSIAD also cautioned against the changes.

“The parliamentary system in our country is the result of a historical process. Attempting to change the essence of this system will open the way for uncertainty in our political system,” it said in a statement.

Blocked from getting its presidential candidate elected in parliament, the AKP is now hoping the succeed with a popular vote.

The party has said it would like the first round of a popular presidential vote be held simultaneously with the legislative elections on July 22, but conceded on Monday that it may be difficult to arrange.

“There are some difficulties in putting out two ballot boxes on July 22,”AKP parliamentary group chairman Salih Kapusuz told the Anatolia news agency.

“The attitude of the president (on the amendments) will be very important,” he said.

The president has 15 days to approve or reject a law. If he rejects the constitutional amendments, parliament will have to debate them again.

If parliament adopts them a second time without changes, Sezer will be left with the option of either approving them -- as he has only a single right of veto against a law -- or he can call a referendum, a procedure which could take several months.—AFP