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International

Million-Strong Rally Demands Turkey Remain Secular

By Jacki Lyden,  Ivan Watson
Published May 13, 2007 at 1:00 PM PDT
This story was published more than 17 years ago.
People wave national flags as they fill the waterfront during an anti-government rally in Turkey's western coastal city of Izmir. Rally organizers hope that it will unite the opposition ahead of elections in July.
People wave national flags as they fill the waterfront during an anti-government rally in Turkey's western coastal city of Izmir. Rally organizers hope that it will unite the opposition ahead of elections in July.

More than a million demonstrators took to the streets in Turkey today demanding their country remain a secular republic. The protesters say they feel the pro-Islamic ruling party threatens the nation's modern foundations.

The weekend rally came just six weeks before Turkey's national election.

The gathering was the third major anti-government protest in the past month. After the recent collapse of parliament's attempt to elect a new president, Turks are now focused on parliamentary elections, set for July.

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International
Jacki Lyden
Longtime listeners recognize Jacki Lyden's voice from her frequent work as a substitute host on NPR. As a journalist who has been with NPR since 1979, Lyden regards herself first and foremost as a storyteller and looks for the distinctive human voice in a huge range of national and international stories.
Ivan Watson
Ivan Watson is currently based in Istanbul, Turkey. Following the 9-11 terrorist attacks, he has served as one of NPR's foreign "firemen," shuttling to and from hotspots around the Middle East and Central Asia.
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