Turkey: The AK Party's Move to Secure Its Power

Turkey's ruling conservative Justice and Development (AK) Party announced April 24 that current Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will be the party's candidate for the presidency. The announcement follows weeks of speculation that AK leader Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would himself seek the country's highest office. The selection is in part a concession to the Turkish military and secular forces in the country, but it should also help the AK secure its current hold on the country's government ahead of parliamentary elections in the fall.