Turkish lawmakers approved sweeping constitutional reforms on Monday that would see the president elected by popular vote, as they sought to resolve the crisis over Turkey's secular roots.
A proposal by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party for a two-round popular vote to elect the head of state, who is currently chosen by parliament, was approved on its first reading, Anatolia news agency said.
Also in the reform package were plans to 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.
Monday's vote, which was won by 356 votes to 69, must now be validated by a second parliamentary vote later this week and must be approved by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to become law.
The debate saw heated arguments between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the main opposition, which claims that with early general elections already scheduled for July 22, parliament should not be making such radical changes to the Constitution.
On Sunday, parliament failed for a second time to elect a president, with an opposition boycott preventing it reaching the required quorum for a vote.
The failure prompted Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a former Islamist who was the sole candidate, to withdraw his name.
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 center-right party, which will provide enough votes to secure the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution.
But despite Monday's clear result, analysts have warned the reforms could be delayed by the need for Sezer's approval.
Legal experts have also said 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 to succeed with a popular vote.
The party has said it would like the first round of a popular presidential vote be held simultaneously with July's legislative polls, 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 Anatolia.
"The attitude of the president [on the amendments] will be very important."
Sezer 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, the president will be left with the option of either approving them -- he has only a single right of veto against a law -- or he can call a referendum.
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