Turkey's parliament elects non-Islamist as speaker

ANKARA, Aug 9 (Reuters) Turkey's parliament elected the ruling AK Party's candidate, a non-Islamist conservative, as its speaker today after he secured backing from the secularist opposition.

The Islamist-rooted AK Party nominated Koksal Toptan yesterday in a conciliatory move towards Turkey's powerful secular elite, which includes army generals.

Toptan, a veteran lawmaker, has served in several secular centre-right governments, including stints as education and culture minister. Crucially for the secularists, his wife does not wear the Muslim headscarf.

''This is a fine step,'' said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, whose AK Party swept back to power in July parliamentary elections after a tense showdown with the secular establishment.

Toptan won 450 votes in the 550-seat chamber, far more than his sole rival, from the far-right Nationalist Movement Party.

Toptan's victory became assured after the staunchly secularist Republican People's Party (CHP) pledged to back him.

''I am a deputy of the AK Party but now all parties are my party and all deputies are my deputies,'' Toptan said in an acceptance speech that stressed consensus and reconciliation.

Toptan replaces Bulent Arinc, an Islamist-minded senior AK Party lawmaker who did not seek re-election. Arinc had upset the army with his calls for a reappraisal of Turkish secularism.

PRESIDENCY CHALLENGE Erdogan and his party must now turn to the more difficult task of picking a candidate for president amid signs that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul still covets the top job.

The secularists derailed the AK Party's first bid in May to have parliament elect Gul as head of state, fearing his Islamist past and his wife's headscarf would pose a threat to Turkey's separation of state and religion.

Asked about the presidential election after today's vote, Erdogan said: ''The process will start. God willing, it will go better (this time).'' Turkish media have speculated that Erdogan would prefer Gul, a loyal ally, to quit the race in order to avoid fanning further tensions with the military.

The army ousted a government 10 years ago in which Gul served as a minister because it was deemed too Islamist.

CHP leader Deniz Baykal repeated his call today for the AK Party to field a compromise candidate for head of state.

Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul, whose wife does not wear the headscarf, has been mentioned as one possible compromise.

Gul denies any Islamist agenda. A gently-spoken diplomat, he has gained international respect as a key architect of Turkey's European Union membership bid.

The presidential election is scheduled to take place over the coming weeks.

Parliament holds most power in Turkey but the president is commander in chief of the armed forces and appoints many top judges and university rectors. The judiciary and the universities are key pillars of the secular system.

REUTERS GL BST2108