The world will be watching Sunday as Turkey -- a strategically-placed country sharing borders with both the EU and the Middle East, and one of the few functioning democracies in the Muslim world -- goes to the polls.
Turkey's controversial bid to join the European Union has drawn headlines for months, and in recent weeks the army has threatened to cross the border into Iraq to round up Kurdish terrorists in the north, drawing some international concern.
In addition to all of that, the very direction of democracy in the country is at stake with powerful forces in a tug of war over Turkey's future.
Prime minister and leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party Racep Tayyip Erdogan inflamed tensions earlier this year when he nominated Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as the candidate to replace President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a former judge who was scheduled to step down on May 16.
Both Gul and Erdogan once dabbled in political Islam and both of their wives wear the traditional Muslim headscarves now banned in public buildings in secular Turkey. However, both men have vowed to uphold secularism and pursue the Western-style reforms that qualified Turkey to begin pursuing EU membership in 2005.
The army responded to Gul's nomination quickly, threatening to intervene and posting an online statement that suggested Turkey's secular status was threatened by the move. The military's response triggered a political crisis and led to the early election call.
Many Turks guard their nation's secular status, and along with the military are suspicious of the Justice and Development, or AK Party's Islamic roots.
Millions of Turks protested in the streets over Erdogan's nomination of Gul -- the majority of them reportedly urban, middle-class women whose lifestyle could be hampered by a shift away from secularism.
Since then campaigning has been feverish, with massive rallies and demonstrations related to the election, suggesting voter turnout will be large.
There are other factors too. Hardline nationalists and Kurdish representatives are also on the campaign trail, battling for votes with the secular-military establishment candidates and Islamist-rooted politicians.
That ideological hodgepodge of sworn rivals could result in a patchwork parliament that will force the players to work together, or it could come apart at the seams and undo progress made under the current government.
Some analysts have also predicted that the military will feel compelled to show its strength, or lead to a whole new round of elections.
Here is a quick synopsis of some of the top issues voters will be voting on when they go to the polls.
- Response to the threat from Iraq: Kurdish rebels have been attacking Turkey, staging strikes from hideouts in the north of Iraq. Though Erdogan has hesitated to order an invasion, military forces have called for an incursion.
- EU membership: The ruling Justice and Development Party claims to be committed to the bid, though support for membership seems to be at an all time low. Meanwhile, the smaller Nationalist Action Party claims the EU is prejudice against the mostly Muslim nation. The major parties have avoided debating the issue.
- Economy: The Justice and Development Party has led Turkey to strong economic growth, with inflation falling, a strong stock market and rising foreign investment. But unemployment is still high.
- Secularism: Though Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party has pledged to uphold secularism, many -- including the military -- fear the party intends to undermine the country's secular structure.
