THE Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Necmettin Erbakan, has made a quick start in the face of a wary public and media to his term as Turkey's first Islamist head of government.
In his first active week in office, Mr Erbakan has taken populist actions and made promises apparently aimed at allaying secularist scepticism, while appeasing his own Welfare Party followers. He also looks to have taken hold of the reins in his alliance with the conservative True Path Party (DYP).
"They have started very actively, very fast," commentator Sami Kohen said. "Past governments have, unfortunately, always begun their terms rather slowly and inactively."
Mr Erbakan's governing coalition with DYP, led by US educated technocrat and former premier Ms Tansu Ciller, was confirmed in a vote of confidence in parliament on July 8th. Since then, Mr Erbakan has given a 50 per cent wage rise to public employees and pensioners, taken steps to soothe tensions with Damascus and pledged to return home thousands of refugees from a 12 year old Kurdish insurgency in the south east.
The Finance Minister, Mr Abdullatif Sener, of Welfare, gave a bleak picture of the economy and prescribed radical, Islamist remedies unlikely to have the approval of the pro market DYP wing.
Mr Sener, who has promised to lower inflation, running at 80 per cent annually, suggested capping interest rates and taxing interest income - ideas Welfare's Islamist supporters will welcome.
Welfare's populist start has also given rise to speculation that Mr Erbakan may be seeking to build support before dumping DYP for early elections. Turkey has been without a stable government since Ms filler quit as premier in September.