2007年VOA标准英语-Elections Over, Turkey Must Now Choose Presiden

By Dorian Jones
Istanbul
27 July 2007

The July 22 general election in Turkey resulted in a landslide¹ victory for the Islamic rooted Justice and Development party, or AK. While many people in Turkey are still coming to terms with the scale of the victory, another important decision - who will be president - is coming in the near future. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

Turkey's victorious² Justice and Development Party is celebrating, but it faces a series of challenges, including the lingering tension over the role of Islam in Turkish society and the selection of a new president.

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan salutes supporters of his Justice and Development Party during election rally, 20 Jul 2007

Realizing what lies ahead, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was careful not to be too triumphant⁴ in accepting victory.

In a low-key speech, he struck a conciliatory note.

"Democracy and the republic came out stronger with this election," he said. "That's why the winners of this election are our nation, our people's future and secularism⁶."

Though Mr. Erdogan's party won a large popular mandate⁷, analysts⁸ say his close alliance with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul could cause some problems in the coming paliamentary vote for president.

Gul, a devout⁹ Muslim, has indicated he would resume his bid for the presidency¹⁰ despite opposition¹¹ from the military and the secular⁵ establishment. The opposition in parliament, fearful that Gul as president would chip away at Turkey's secular foundations, blocked his candidacy last April, forcing the country into early general elections.

Prime Minister Erdogan has said he wants to avoid fresh tensions and has vowed¹² to consult with the opposition over who will succeed the current president, staunch secularist¹³ Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

Burak Bekdil of the Turkish Daily News says the prime minister will likely try to avoid any more political confrontation¹⁴.

"Well I am confident there will be a compromise candidate," Bekdil said, "most probably from the AK party ranks, but at the same time someone who is acceptable to the rest of the society and state establishment."

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul speaks to the media during a news conference in Ankara, 25 July 2007

But other political observers say the prime minister may feel pressure from within his party to stick with Gul.

According to AK sources, support for Gul has soared within the party. In a news conference Wednesday, Gul himself indicated he still in the running for president.

"In making my decision I am very clear, that I am not in a position to ignore the powerful message from people attending election rallies throughout the country," Gul said. "Nobody can impose a political ban on someone else, so why shouldn't I be candidate. All these things will be revealed in the coming days. But for all of us our compass should be democracy."

But even if Mr. Erdogan decides to back his close friend and ally, his party does not have enough votes in parliament to muster¹⁵ the 367-mamber majority Gul will need to be elected.

Political columnist¹⁶ and former government adviser¹⁷ Nuray Mert says Mr. Erdogan faces a dilemma¹⁸.

"Well because Gul seems quite insistent¹⁹ in running for the presidency and the general atmosphere is against the idea," he said. "As far as I can observe, everybody is looking forward to the second which is stable economically but also politically. For political stablilty, there must be a compromise and consensus²⁰ on the issue of the presidency and Gul can hardly be the name of compromise and consensus."

Clearly, by siding with Gul, the prime minister's risks reopening deep divisions within Turkey and putting at risk the political capital he has accumulated while in office. Political observers say the decision he makes could well determine the future of his next term in office.

1 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

2 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

3 salutes   

n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• Poulengey salutes, and stands at the door awaiting orders. 波仑日行礼，站在门口听侯命令。 来自辞典例句
• A giant of the world salutes you. 一位世界的伟人向你敬礼呢。 来自辞典例句

4 triumphant   

adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的

参考例句：

• The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
• There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

5 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

6 secularism   

n.现世主义；世俗主义；宗教与教育分离论；政教分离论

参考例句：

• Unless are devoted to God, secularism shall not leave us. 除非我们奉献于神，否则凡俗之心便不会离开我们。 来自互联网
• They are no longer a huge threat to secularism. 他们已不再是民主的巨大威胁。 来自互联网

7 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 devout   

adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)

参考例句：

• His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
• The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。

10 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

13 secularist   

n.现世主义者，世俗主义者；宗教与教育分离论者

参考例句：

14 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

15 muster   

v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

参考例句：

• Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
• I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

16 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

17 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

18 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

19 insistent   

adj.迫切的，坚持的

参考例句：

• There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
• He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。

20 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？