With 99 percent of the returns counted, Mr. Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party won about 50 percent of the votes, according to the semiofficial Anatolian News Agency. The main opposition group, the Republican People’s Party, won nearly 26 percent, and another opposition party, the Nationalist Action Party, had 13 percent, the agency said.
The returns give the pro-Islamist Justice and Development Party, known as the A.K.P., its third term in office since it first won a parliamentary majority in 2002. The results, however, failed to provide the absolute majority that the party wanted to push for major changes, including a shift to a presidential system and the drafting of a new constitution. The party will now have to work to forge consensus with its opposition.
Not that Turkey has become an Islamist state. Disaster has not struck since 2002. And elections continue to be held despite some disturbing maneuverings against the opposition.
I won't be comfortable that the AKP isn't a threat to democracy until they lose an election and turn over power. That's the real test, eh? I'll be far more happy to see that happen than to see the AKP get enough votes to push through constitutional changes on their own.
UPDATE: Stratfor gives their take. I disagree with them a significant amount of time in their analysis, but they base their views on solid information. So I like to read their views on things. They make some good points.
