ANKARA, July 31: A referendum on constitutional reforms, including electing the president by popular suffrage, will take place on Oct 21, Turkey’s Electoral Council announced on Tuesday.

The referendum will not affect the election of outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s successor, who is expected to be elected by parliament in August as the current law requires.

The reforms were initiated by the ruling Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party following political turmoil that blocked the election of its candidate, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, as head of state.

Insisting that Gul, a former Islamist, is not truly committed to Turkey’s secular system, the opposition boycotted two parliamentary sessions in April and May, robbing the house of the quorum required to hold a presidential vote.

Tensions increased with a warning by the army that it is ready to defend the secular order amid mass anti-government demonstrations.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was forced to call early general elections on July 22, in which his party won a landslide victory.

The new parliament is scheduled to open on Saturday with an oath-taking ceremony.

It is expected to elect a successor to Sezer, who has stayed on as acting head of state since his seven-year term expired in May, by the end of August.

The reforms also call for a once-renewable, five-year presidential mandate, instead of the current single, seven-year term, and general elections every four years, instead of five.—AFP