We can check the number of people who attended yesterday's march by comparing them to the votes given to CHP in the next election. I expect you will be suprised to see the number is much less than your wishful thinking allows you t othink.

Betul, Istanbul, Turkey,

any one should be able to stand for election,let the people decide, if the majority want a pro islamic government then let it be so, thats just democracy

dmitrij, nottingham,

I have attended this protest.it was very exciting.very very crowded.we dont want pro-Islamic government and islamic regime.We are following ATATURK's footsteps.The roads to Cankaya (the presidential palace) are closed to imams. we dont want to imam governments and so on.thnx

aydın, istanbul, turkey

I was there today and I saw millions of people who are concerned about the future of the secular Republic of Turkey. I doubt that Europeans are able to understand and interprete the situation clearly. The problem is not the traditional headscarf, it is deeper, it is the way of thinking under this scarf, which is certainly not the traditional Muslim headscarf. I am a Turkish woman, well educated, intellectual, and I do not want to loose the rights which are the guarantee for my freedom. However, I am relieved to see that I am not alone, that hundreds of thousands of women, whatever the level of education, are sharing my concerns. Together we are strong!

Elif Gunce, Istanbul, Turkey

Turkey has a proud history of secularism. This should be the characteristic which defines its relationship with its European allies. By welcoming Turkey into the EU, provided it continues on its course of improving its human rights record, the EU will strengthen Turkey's secular forces, whilst still gaining a powerful influence over the rest of the Middle East. By shunning Turkey, the EU will only give succour to those who wish to bring this nation under the yoke of political Islam. The current demonstrations reflect both the potential for Turkey to exert a positive influence, but also the risk of fundamentalism which is posed if it is ostracised.

John, Oxford, UK

I'm Turkish.Any other countries can't divide us.The meeting declares that the most secular nation is turkish nation.

Deniz, city, Turkey

Good news, I hope this kind of open demonstration continues ,
Who would want to go back to the dark ages when such atrocities
against women were perpetrated as to bury them alive with a
husband who had pre-deceased them , rather than have a widow
left behind !
Turkey must continue the forward thinking & modernising work of
Ataturk & his brave wife Latife, surely Islamists can see how well their
work has served Turkey ?
As for the headscarf debacle, don't the strict followers [ I think insisted
on more by males in the family] of Islam , realise by insisting on their women
wearing this scarf & hiding her hair, far from detracting from her beauty,
it only goes on to draw attention to the two most sensual features of a
womans face, i e : eyes & lips
Time for the Muslim male to allow a woman, their women, to be people
in their own right, to get a good education, work, to contribute to society &
their country.
Let's hope Secularism wins the day, we in Europe are watching.

Maggie Millington, Brittany, France

Turkey is a country which is integrated islam with secularism. Turkish government get its roots from secularism but the vast majority - approximately 99 % - is muslim. The system in Turkey makes people feel happy. In Turkey no one has something the matter with the system but i think a tiny minority of people have a problem with some members of parliament. It makes democracy in Turkey worse

emre erkurt, Istanbul, Turkey

Today I (35) marched for the first time in my life, to support and be a part of the protests against the pro-islamic government and the anti-secular presidential candidate they are trying to impose upon the Turkish nation...

Today I saw the civilized, brave and illuminated face of the Turkish nation...If I die tomorrow, I will have no grief, no sorrow, no worries and I will rest in peace that Turkey will eternally stay a democratic, secular Republic...

Deniz Kalafat, istanbul, Turkey

There will be another protest in my city ''İzmir'' in 14 May.Goverment should see that Turkish people don't like what they are trying to do now...

Mehmet Yonar, İzmir, Turkey

About 4 millions of people showed again that Turkey'll never become an Islamic country. We are following Mustafa Kemal ATATURK's illuminating way. Turkey is a secular country and it'll always be secular!

Metin Kargaci, istanbul, Turkey

Turkey depends upon its Army for stability and as the unifying symbol of the nation. If only this recipe had been followed in Iraq and the Army not been disbanded.

Yet what does the EU try to do but drive the Turkish Army out of its role as guardian of the Ataturk Settlement, and in effect repeating the terrible mistake made by Bremer in Iraq

Voyager, Cambridge, England

'Turkey is secular and will remain secular'...

Samet Sozen, London,

Erdogan has been waiting for his chance to put one of his own in Cankaya.

If Turkey goes to early elections then things should calm down after the Consitutional court rules against the AKP.

If Gul is elected and starts approving all things that Sezer vetoed, and Erdogan starts pushing his imam agenda again then the army should step in.
I think AK will revert to type and try to push this - look at their attempted legislative record - actions speak louder than words and they are still animated by the spirit of Necmettin Erbakan no matter what they may say in public.

mark fitzgibbon, Huddersfield, uk

The style of the headscarf worn by the presidential candidate Abdullah Gul's wife cannot be described as 'traditional'. This style, tightly framing the face and tied at the back, has been adopted by the Radical and Political Islamists in the past few decades.

Most Muslim women of Turkey wear a plain white or printed muslin or silk scarf (prettily embroidered/crocheted around the edge) during prayers and do not cover their heads outdoors or at work.

Rural Mediterranian women from the countryside, be it in Italy, Greece or Spain wear some sort of headscarf outdoors for protection against the sun and/or if they are widowed - following the cultural traditions of their regions regardless of their religious roots. Do not confuse the symbols of radical, backward, oppressive Islam with traditional headgear worn in Turkey!

Mimi, Brighton, UK

The government got 66% of the seats by getting only 34% of the votes in the last election. This result occured due to the problems in election system of Turkey. The parties under 10% can not enter the parliament so unfortunately 45% of the Turkish people could not be represented in the parliament.It is true that 99% of Turkey is muslims. However since 1923 (the establishment of Turkish Rebuplic), we have been living in a secular, social, democratic, law state. Everyone is free to live his religion according his believes without pressure. However like in all secular countries, in public it is state's law that must be executed. Everyone is treated equally by this universal law. Unfortunately, the islamist party who now pretends that it is not as islamist as it used to be got the power (parliament, government ) by getting only 34% of the votes. They have been using democracy to get rid of democracy (like Hitler). They've been fighting the universities, courts, army and 66% of Turkey.

PINAR DINCER , ISTANBUL, Turkey

Especially it must be clarified that rallying thousand of people in istanbul do not reflect the view of the rest of people. It is nothing beyond the fact that left-wing parties and left-minded organizations have dragged their own supporter and those who voted for them to the square in istanbul. I think to be reached DEMOCRACY by running through the tunnel of parliament and by voting of all Turkish people. If the others rally with the the turkish flag for their own demands then what will happen ? According to what will we line up ? to square ? or to parliament ?.

emre erkurt, Istanbul, Turkey

I wonder what makes ayhan from cardiff think that millions of people who represent tens of millions in favor of secularism are 'wrong'? 75% of Turkish people DID NOT vote for AKP, how can they be called marginal? I am a modern, educated, illuminated, smart Turkish woman who will never ever cover up or wear a scarf and I want to live in my homeland in a regime where I will not be forced to fast, cover my head and be treated as an inferior being...Any attempt to change the democratic and secular regime by the liberties provided by the very nature of democracy will be opposed within the limits laid down by the constitution. The Turkish nation will bury AKP at the upcoming national elections...

Deniz Kalafat, istanbul, Turkey

The Times might report the reasons why Turkey elected a religiously oriented government, yet apparently hundreds of thousands oppose it. Is it the same difficulty that arose for the world when repeated American governments supported the Vietnam war despite massive public opposition?

Aaron Rynd, Calgary, Canada

This is a great model for the Islamic world. Religion and state can exist separately, and should do so. The Ottoman and Byzantine empires were religion-based and crumbled.

Ben, York,

The government got 66% of the seats by getting only 34% of the votes in the last election. This result occured due to the problems in election system of Turkey. The parties under 10% can not enter the parliament so unfortunately 45% of the Turkish people could not be represented in the parliament.It is true that 99% of Turkey is muslims. However since 1923 (the establishment of Turkish Rebuplic), we have been living in a secular, social, democratic, law state. Everyone is free to live his religion according his believes without pressure. However like in all secular countries, in public it is state's law that must be executed. Everyone is treated equally by this universal law. Unfortunately, the islamist party who now pretends that it is not as islamist as it used to be got the power (the parliament, the government ) by getting only 34% of the votes. They have been using democracy to get rid of democracy

PINAR DINCER , ISTANBUL, Turkey

Hi Times,

I'm Turkish, so I cannot speak English very well. But as a person who is firstly writing a comment to this news, I wanted to say that:

Turkey is secular and will remain.

Enver, Istanbul, Turkey

The govenrment is not elected by this bunch of people. they are getting marginal anymore.majority of Turkey's population is comprised of muslims, so it is them who decide what the regime of the state will be. how come is modernity attributed to the way how and what people wear? Addition to that, develoment can not have something to do with faith. take Israel, they are very sitrict with their belief, but they are one of the most developed states.

For more than 85 years, since Turkey is established, Turkey has this problem. Ataturk ruled the country like a dictator nad did whatever he wanted to this people in Turkey. it obvious that development has got nothing to do with his laws. because they are not those Turkish can digest.every community has got their own patterns, that is why these people in the rally are wrong. as i mentioned before they are themselves marginals. one piece of clothing does not make the country wealthier or poorer. this is as simple as that...

ayhan, cardiff, wales

There were over 1.500.000 people at Ankara and now there are over 3.500.000 people at istanbul.

kadir, istanbul, turkey