Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul appears set to become Turkey's next president, following an announcement Tuesday by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Gul would be his party's candidate for the role, DPA reported. With Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AK) enjoying a massive majority in parliament, it is seen as a foregone conclusion that Gul will win next month's election by parliamentarian's for the presidency. "The people have seen the services that (Gul) has done for his country," Erdogan told a meeting of AK party members of parliament in Ankara. "Our parliament's decision will be the nation's. The election is for our country. I wish the best of luck for every single citizen." The announcement of the candidature of 56-year-old Gul was met with thunderous applause and football-style chanting from AK party parliamentarians and supporters. "It is a great honour but also a great challenge," Gul later told reporters on Tuesday. Gul said he would be a president for all of Turkey, not one particular group, political party or region and quoted the constitution which states that Turkey is a "democratic, secular state based on social justice." The former academic and banker, who became a member of parliament in 1991, has been Turkey's foreign minister since 2003. He is well- liked in Turkey and popular with foreign politicians.
