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• Dr. Abdullah Gul was elected the eleventh President of Turkey on August 28, 2007. Prior to his election as President, Gul served as Turkey's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: October 19, 1950 in Kayseri, Turkey
  2. Party: Justice and Development Party (AKP)
  3. Assumed office: August 28, 2007
  4. Spouse: Hayrunnisa Gul
  5. Previous Position/Office: Minister of Foreign Affairs (2003-2007), Prime Minister of Turkey (2002-2004)
  6. Preceded by: Ahmet Necdet Sezer
  7. Prime Minister: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

• Gul's Contested Election

  Gul was selected as a candidate for the Presidential office by Turkish Prime Minister Recept Tayyip Erdogan. His selection drew harsh criticism from secularist, who took issue with statements that Gul, a Sunni Muslim, made during an earlier period in his political career and the fact that his wife Hayrunnisa Gul wore a headscarf. His candidacy was blocked by the country's Constitutional Court, but with his party winning close to 50% of the popular vote during parliamentary elections in July of 2007, Gul was eventually able to assume the Presidential office.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Abdullah Gul Elected Turkey's President | George W. Bush | Condoleezza Rice

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