- Title: TURKEY: PRIME MINISTER DEMIREL AT ELECTION RALLY IN ISTANBUL.
- Date: 3rd May 1968
- Summary: 1. GV CROWD IN TAKSIM SQUARE 0.03 2. SV TURKISH AND JUSTICE PARTY FLAGS 0.04 3. LV DEMIREL SPEAKS 0.08 4. GV CROWD 0.11 5. SV DEMIREL 0.12 6. GV CROWD 0.17 7. CU DEMIREL 0.20 8. GV CROWD APPLAUDS 0.24 9. SV DEMIREL CONTINUES 0.28 10. GV CROWD 0.32 11. SLV DEMIREL 0.35 12. GV CROWD WITH PART
- Embargoed: 18th May 1968 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Reuters ID: LVA8BYA97FWSMDV5KJ1ZXSHUF9GU
- Story Text: WIDESPREAD INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE WERE TODAY (MONDAY) REPORTED TO HAVE BROKEN OUT SOON AFTER VOTING BEGAN IN THE CENTRAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS IN TURKEY. ON SATURDAY (JUNE 1) PRIME MINISTER SULEYMAN DEMIREL, LEADER OF THE RULING JUSTICE PARTY, SPOKE AT A PARTY RALLY IN ISTANBUL.
FIRST REPORTS TODAY STATED THAT AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE HAD DIED AND MORE THAN 20 HAD BEEN INJURED IN KNIFE AND GUN BATTLES. IN A VILLAGE IN ANATOLIA A MEMBER OF THE JUSTICE PARTY WAS KNIFED TO DEATH BY HIS BROTHER, A REPUBLICAN, BEFORE HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO VOTE. AT MERSIN, TWO VILLAGE CANDIDATES WERE SHOT BY THEIR RIVAL AND BOTH WERE REPORTED AS UNCONSCIOUS. FIGHTING WAS ALSO REPORTED FROM SEVERAL RURAL AREAS.
ACCORDING TO UNOFFICIAL RETURNS, THE JUSTICE PARTY WHICH SOUGHT A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN ITS POLICIES OF FREE ENTERPRISE AND NATO MEMBERSHIP, WON 37 OUT OF THE 52 SENATE SEATS, THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLES' PARTY WON 13 AND TWO RESULTS WERE UNKNOWN. THE JUSTICE PARTY ALSO WON ALL FIVE VACANT SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. IN MAYORAL ELECTIONS, THE JUSTICE PARTY WON 31, REPUBLICANS 16, TRUST PARTY TWO AND INDEPENDENTS GIVEN.
LESS THAN 50 PER CENT OF THE 14,000,000 ELIGIBLE TURNED OUT TO VOTE - FAR FEWER THAN IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS. OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS ARE EXPECTED IN TWO DAYS TIME.
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