Turkey fixes president's term at 7 years

ANKARA - The Associated Press

Abdullah Gül. DHA Photo

Turkey's Parliament has set President Abdullah Gül's term in office at seven years after a 2007 amendment appeared to lower it to five.

Gül was elected for a one-time seven-year term in August 2007, but a few months later Turkey enacted constitutional changes that reduced the presidential term to five, with the right to stand for re-election.
The amendments did not specify whether Gul's term would be affected, leading to confusion.

The move, however, has failed to end debate over how long he should serve, with the opposition saying the move is unconstitutional.

Gül said Friday the opposition could seek its cancellation at Turkey's highest court.

Parliament which is dominated by legislators from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party voted late Thursday to fix Gül's term at seven years.