Thousands of Turks demonstrated yesterday in this Black Sea port city against the Islamic-rooted government, which they fear is undermining Turkey's secular system.
The demonstration in Samsun -- the latest in a series of protests nationwide -- was significant, as the city was where Turkey's secular founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, launched the country's war of independence against occupying powers after World War I.
Massive demonstrations against the government recently have been held in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.
Yesterday, crowds gathered in Samsun's central square and chanted "Turkey is secular and will remain secular!" Protesters carried Turkish flags and posters of Ataturk.
Organizers said participation would likely be lower than at previous demonstrations. More than 1 million people attended the demonstration last week in the Aegean city of Izmir.
The demonstrations began early last month to pressure Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government against nominating Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as presidential candidate, over fears that the party would expand its powers and govern unchecked.
Secular opposition parties then boycotted the presidential voting process in parliament, creating a political deadlock and forcing Gul to abandon his bid.
The decision, along with increasing pressure from the public and the military, led Erdogan to call for early parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for July 22. Parliament also passed an amendment to allow the president to be elected directly by the people, rather than by parliament, which is currently dominated by members of Erdogan's party. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has yet to endorse the amendment.
Turkey's secularism is enshrined in the Constitution and fiercely guarded by the judiciary and by the powerful military, which has threatened to intervene in the presidential elections to ensure secularism is enforced.
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