Turkish Leader Loses Battle With Military Islamic Prime Minister, Pushing Muslim Influence, Forced Out

Modern Turkey’s first Islamic prime minister resigned Wednesday, effectively deposed by a military angry over his attempts to put a stronger Muslim stamp on society.

With Premier Necmettin Erbakan’s departure, the top brass won a battle. But the struggle between the generals and forces of political Islam in this NATO country was far from over.

Erbakan submitted his resignation to President Suleyman Demirel, who asked him to stay on as a caretaker premier. Demirel said he would choose a replacement quickly after consulting with political leaders today, Erbakan said.

“I resigned because I am a true patriot,” Erbakan told reporters, saying the move would bring stability to Turkey.

Since coming to office 11 months ago, Erbakan has angered Turkey’s powerful generals, who consider themselves the protectors of the modern, secular Turkish state and its Western-oriented policies.

Their indirect denunciations of Erbakan’s Welfare Party grew more intense, and peaked last week with a threat to crush Islamic radicalism by force. The military has staged three coups since 1960.

Erbakan took the hint, and agreed to go quickly.

Before stepping aside, Erbakan announced he had received backing in Parliament for a political maneuver he hoped would keep his Islamic party in power.

Under the plan, Deputy Prime Minister Tansu Ciller would take over his job and new elections would be held in three or four months.

Welfare would keep key government posts, and would go into elections in a strong position, able to dispense patronage and laws appealing to its voters among civil servants, farmers and small businessmen.

The popular Islamic party was the leading vote-getter in 1995 elections, with 21 percent. It could score bigger gains in another vote, political analysts say. Prosecutors are challenging Welfare in court, saying it violates articles in the constitution that define Turkey as a secular republic.

It was unclear whether the generals would be happy with Welfare retaining prominent Cabinet spots. Welfare now holds the culture, finance, agriculture, labor, energy and justice portfolios. It will seek the powerful Interior Ministry, giving Islamic extremists control over the state security apparatus, private NTV reported.

Nor was it certain that Ciller would win a confidence vote if she gets designated. Deputies in the center-right True Path Party she leads are rebelling against another alliance with the Islamic party.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: KEY EVENTS July 8, 1996: Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan’s Welfare Party, allied with Tansu Ciller’s secular True Path Party, wins confidence vote, giving modern Turkey its first Islamic government since its foundation in 1923. July 18: The military warns it stands as protector of secular traditions. July 29: Government restricts gambling. Aug. 10: Erbakan goes to Iran on his first foreign visit, advocating stronger ties with the Islamic state. Feb. 4: Tanks rumble through Ankara suburb after rally calling for Islamic rule. Feb. 15: 10,000 women in Ankara protest Islamic government. Feb. 28: Top generals order Erbakan to curb Islamic policies. April 26: Two ministers from junior coalition partner quit to protest efforts to promote Islam; more defections follow. April 29: Armed forces declare Islamic radicalism “enemy No. 1” along with Kurdish separatism. May 11: 300,000 pro-Islamic demonstrators rally in Istanbul. May 27: Military purges 141 Islamic officers. June 1: Erbakan signals willingness to hand over premier’s job to Ciller. June 6: Generals order boycott of Islamic companies. June 11: Military threatens force against Islamic radicals, prompting coup rumors. June 13: Ciller announces she will take over. June 18: Erbakan resigns.