Thousands of flag-waving Turks took to the streets of two western cities Saturday to demonstrate in favor of a pro-secular government.
Marchers in the cities of Manisa and Canakkale called for the presidential candidate of the ruling AK Party, which is rooted in Islam, to withdraw, demanding that Turkey remain strictly secular.
Political tension is running high following a warning from the pro-secular army against the AK Party's candidate, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, and following a court decision to annul the first round of parliamentary voting for president.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a closed-door meeting Friday with armed forces chief General Yasar Buyukanit. No details of the meeting have been released.
The AK Party introduced constitutional amendments Thursday that included proposals to lower the voting age and allow the Turkish people, instead of parliament, to elect the president.
Earlier Thursday, Turkey's parliament approved July 22 as the date for early general elections.
Mr. Erdogan said the court's decision made it impossible for parliament to elect a president.
Foreign Minister Gul was the only candidate for president in the first round.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer says he will remain in office until his replacement is selected.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
