New York Times: Reporter Sabrina Tavernise wrote that Abdullah Gül's presidency still caused great worry for laicist segments of the population, but that these segments did not have the support of the people. Her article also emphasised that the Chief of General Staff talked about evil forces systematically trying to wear away the laicist system.
Los Angeles Times: Journalist Laura King drew attention to the Chief of General Staff's aggressive statement at the time when Abdullah Gül was expected to become president. The statement has been interpreted as a continuation of the laicism controversy despite the AKP's election victory.
The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Rene van der Linden, said, "I welcome Abdullah Gül's election. He is a modern reformer and experienced in Turkey's EU and foreign policies. I am sure that he will bring his country closer to the EU."
The British Guardian interpreted Gül's eleciton as a "victory of Muslim democrats". "The election of Gül, who was at the forefront of the political Islam which grew in strength in the 1990s, is a victory of the Muslim democrats in government against the army and the elite bureaucracy which have ruled the country for 84 years."
The Independent said, "Turkey elected Muslim democrat Abdullah Gül despite the secular opposition." It said that the army was not expected to react. The newspaper also predicted that Gül would pass the AKP reforms which predecessor Sezer had vetoed.
The Financial Times ran the headline, "Turkey defied the army and elected Gül as leader". It added that in the past, Gül's roots were in radical Islamist politics, and that he was even imprisoned after the 1980 military coup.
Le Monde said, "The defenders of laicism, supported by the army, had prevented Gül's election a few months ago. Even if their suspicions continue, Gül has promised in his address to protect the division of religion and state and to be everyone's president."
Liberation wrote, "For the First Time an Islamist in Cankaya" and added: "Gül will have to use all of his talents to make others forget his Islamist past. Even if he has impressed Western diplomats with his pro-European views, the laicist camp and the army in his own country believe him to be an Islamist laughing up his sleeve."
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: The German newspaper wrote that "Gül had repeatedly promised that he wanted to be every Turk's president and that he would uphold the division of state and religion. He is considered as the architect of the Turkish EU policy.He had announced before the election that he would want to leav his mark in foreign politics as president as well."
The Süddeutsche Zeitung covered today's meeting between army and Gül at the graduation ceremony of a military school and interpreted it as a "frosty welcome", saying that high-ranking army officers refused to salute the president in the usual manner. The newspaper pointed out that Gül's wife was not present at the ceremony, but that the meeting turned into a "demonstration of distance". (EÜ/AG)
* This article made use of the above newspapers' websites as well as BBC Turkey and the Voice of America.
