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| Turkey parliament curtails army powers | Turkey parliament curtails army powers |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Turkey's parliament has amended the code governing the armed forces, curtailing their political influence. | |
| The original rules gave the military responsibility of preserving the Republic of Turkey, a clause previously used as a justification for coups. | The original rules gave the military responsibility of preserving the Republic of Turkey, a clause previously used as a justification for coups. |
| It now says the army's main duty is to protect the nation from foreign threat. | It now says the army's main duty is to protect the nation from foreign threat. |
| The military has long regarded itself as the protector of Turkey's secular tradition and has staged three coups between 1960 and 1980. | The military has long regarded itself as the protector of Turkey's secular tradition and has staged three coups between 1960 and 1980. |
| But it has a history of tension with the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. | But it has a history of tension with the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. |
| Since coming to power in 2003, Mr Erdogan has reduced the general's powers through a series of reforms. | Since coming to power in 2003, Mr Erdogan has reduced the general's powers through a series of reforms. |
| He has also put hundreds of officers, including top army commanders, on trial saying they were involved in plots against the government. | He has also put hundreds of officers, including top army commanders, on trial saying they were involved in plots against the government. |
| The amended code now redefines the military's responsibility as "defending the Turkish nation against external threats and dangers, and maintaining and strengthening military powers to ensure deterrence". | The amended code now redefines the military's responsibility as "defending the Turkish nation against external threats and dangers, and maintaining and strengthening military powers to ensure deterrence". |
| The AKP proposed the amendment following a wave of anti-government protests in June. | The AKP proposed the amendment following a wave of anti-government protests in June. |
| The demonstrators say the prime minister is being increasing authoritarian. He has accused his critics of conspiring against his democratically-elected government. | The demonstrators say the prime minister is being increasing authoritarian. He has accused his critics of conspiring against his democratically-elected government. |