Turkey's Islamic-rooted ruling party secured a new mandate in parliamentary elections Sunday, and the prime minister told jubilant supporters he would pursue reforms, fight terrorism and work toward national unity.The election had pitted the government against opponents warning of a threat to secular traditions, but the Justice and Development Party's success signaled continuity in economic reforms and in Turkey's troubled efforts to join the European Union.
The new government will likely face persistent tension over the role of Islam in society, as well as questions about how to deal with Kurdish rebel violence. Turkey, a NATO member, is considering an offensive into northern Iraq against separatist Kurdish rebels who have bases there.
"We will press ahead with reforms and the economic development that we have been following so far," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a victory speech in Ankara. "In our struggle against separatist terrorists, we are determined to take every step at the right time."
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