Word: ecevit
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Since January 1974, Ecevit and Demirel have alternated as Premier half a dozen times. The two-man game of musical chairs has done nothing to resolve the country's protracted economic woes, which include a 70% inflation rate, 20% unemployment and shortages of everything from coffee (Turkish coffee is available only on the black market) to diesel oil. Moreover, religious and ethnic feuds have led to a frightening increase in violence. In the past 21 months, 2,100 people have been killed, most of them in confrontations between left-and right-wing extremists...
Demirel had been waiting impatiently to regain power since January 1978, when Ecevit lured away ten of Demirel's supporters in the lower house by promising them Cabinet posts. That took away Demirel's majority, causing his government to fall. It also gave Ecevit just enough seats to become Premier with the support of his own party and independents. This time Demirel decided to play Ecevit's game, by luring several of the Premier's supporters over to the opposition. In the by-elections, Demirel's party campaigned for the five lower-house seats...
...Ecevit had no choice but to go to President Fahri Koruturk and resign; he declined to try to form a new government and recommended that the mandate be given to Demirel. The Justice Party holds only 183 seats in the 450-member house. To form a government, Demirel will have to put together a coalition with two right-wing groups, the Muslim Nationalist Salvation Party and the ultrarightist National Action Party. Neither is a very palatable partner for Demirel's moderate party...
...logical thing would be for Ecevit and Demirel to team up in a "grand coalition" of their two parties, which together poll more than 70% of the vote. Both are very near the center, with the Justice Party leaning a bit to the right and the Republicans to the left. But such a coalition appears impossible, because of the personal animosity and bitter rivalry between the two men. They are totally different in style and personality: Ecevit, 54, is an intense, ulcer-suffering intellectual and poet; Demirel, 55, is a talkative extravert and was a successful private businessman before...
Meanwhile, Turkey founders. Three months ago Ecevit reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund that allowed the country to reschedule $5 billion in short-term debts and thus stave off bankruptcy. The IMF deal unlocked a package of $1.8 billion in cash credits on favorable terms from the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development countries...