ANKARA - Turkey's ruling Islamists yesterday countered the army's demands for a clampdown on religious activism with a threat of new elections to strengthen the government's hand against the secularist generals.
But the call for early polls by a close aide of the Prime Minister, Mr Necmettin Erbakan, was seen by politicians as a scare tactic. Mr Erbakan's coalition partner, Ms Tansu Ciller, ruled elections out.
The secularist military told the government last week to stamp out Islamist zealotry. Mr Erbakan made clear he resented the order as an unsubtle attempt to weaken him and his supporters. But other parties have forced Mr Erbakan to reluctantly approve a military statement urging the crackdown.