Turkish Parliament named the former Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as President of Turkey, AFP informed on Tuesday. In the third round, the diplomacy chief of Ankara received 339 out of 550 members of the Legislatives dominated by his supporting party, "Justice and Development".

An absolute majority of 276 votes was necessary for Gul to be elected. Gul is the first lay (not ecclesiastical) president of Turkey to be part of an Islamic movement.

His party, the Justice and Development Party is in power since 2002 and won the legislative elections of July 22nd, holding a majority of 341 representatives in the Legislative.

The Opposition Party - the Republican one and the Nationalist Movement accuses the Justice and Development Party that it intents to undermine the laic character of the state. Naturally, accusations have been denied both by Gul and by the Party.