Ailing Turkish premier admits he may have to call election

Beleaguered and ailing Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit admitted tonight he might have to agree to early elections as one his coalition allies gathered enough signatures to recall parliament and vote on early balloting.

The moves come after more than a quarter of the MPs from the premier’s party resigned and both of his coalition allies called for early elections.

Popular Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, also a member of Ecevit’s party, was reported to be on the verge of resignation - a move that would deal a further heavy blow to the government.

At stake in any election would be Turkey’s relations with the West and whether the country, which is a Nato member, will be willing to carry out EU oriented reforms or instead turn inward.

The fight over elections pits the 77-year-old premier, who has repeatedly refused to step down despite his failing health and the party desertions against his divided coalition allies.

One of those allies, the centre-right Motherland Party, has said that a new government must be formed or elections should be held in September. That would give Turkey the chance to pass EU-oriented legislation before a December EU summit.

The other coalition partner, the nationalists, opposes EU reforms and is calling for elections in November which would make it almost impossible to pass the measures, such as abolishing the death penalty or expanding minority rights for Kurds, before the summit.

Ecevit was the glue that held the rivals together in the coalition. Since Ecevit be became ill in May, the two parties have been squabbling over the reforms.

Ecevit for the first time suggested today that early elections might be inevitable, but added that he opposed the move for fear that it could destabilise the government’s economic reform program.