BBC NEWS: Turkey's soul unveiled
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Turkey's soul unveiled
The year 2007 has been one of the most turbulent years in recent Turkish history.Now, after months of mass demonstrations and rising political tension, Turkey has finally chosen its president. Much to the dismay of the conventional secular elite, the former foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, has become the new president. In fact, very few people have a problem with Mr Gul's personality. He has been a successful, pro-EU diplomat and a mild and moderate voice within his party. His public support for journalists and writers on trial has also brought him close to intellectuals.
In an age when the number of people who believe in a clash of civilisations escalates every day, here is a country that is predominantly Muslim and staunchly secular at the same time. And here is a country that started its modernisation more than 150 years ago and today wants to join the EU. The discussion on the president's wife and the position of women in Turkey lies at the centre of all these massive political debates.
