Turkish presidential hopeful lobbies opposition

ANKARA, Apr 25 (Reuters) Turkish presidential hopeful Abdullah Gul lobbied smaller parties today to try to block the nationalist-minded main opposition from challenging the legality of his expected election.

The ruling AK Party picked Foreign Minister Gul, architect of Turkey's European Union bid, as its candidate yesterday.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has vowed to boycott the vote in parliament on Friday because the AK Party failed to consult with them over the choice of Gul.

Analysts and diplomats said they saw little risk that Gul would not win the presidential vote because of the AK Party's control of parliament with 354 seats out of 550.

But the party needs the attendance of two smaller opposition parties in the chamber during the vote to help stave off the CHP's legal challenge. The CHP insists at least two thirds of deputies must be present or the vote will be invalid.

''The threat is a last attempt by the CHP to block the AK Party candidate, but if they take the issue to the Constitutional Court it could certainly hurt Gul's legitimacy,'' said one EU diplomat. ''The AK Party wants to avoid this.'' Gul met centre-right True Path Party (DYP) and independent MPs. The DYP and Turkey's second largest opposition party, ANAP, said they would hold further talks before deciding on what position to take on Friday.

Turkey's leading newspapers, often at odds with the AK Party, largely gave Gul their support. Gul, an affable moderate, is widely respected even by secularists wary of his Islamist past.

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