"We should never hamper the functioning of the democratic system," said Ahmet Turk, head of the Democratic Society Party (DTP), after Gul, currently the foreign minister, visited the party in a bid to drum up support.

"The fact that Mr. Gul's wife wears the (Islamic) headscarf is not important for us. What matters are his own qualities... We hope Mr. Gul will follow policies that would embrace all 72 million people of this country."

The DTP has not yet decided whether it will support Gul when parliament convenes for the first round of voting Monday, Turk said.

But even if they withhold support, the attendance of opposition parties is crucial for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to secure Gul's eventual victory.

When he first stood for president in April, the opposition boycotted the vote, robbing parliament of the quorum required to hold the election and sparking a political crisis.

In the first two rounds of voting, a candidate requires a two-thirds majority, or 367 votes, to be elected.

With 340 votes in the 550-member house, the AKP can be sure of electing Gul on the third ballot when an absolute majority of 276 is required.

The early general elections on July 22, prompted by the presidential crisis, changed the balance in parliament as two new major opposition forces, among them the DTP, won seats.

The other one, the right-wing Nationalist Action Party (MHP), has also promised to participate in the presidential vote.

The MHP and the DTP have 70 and 20 deputies respectively, which, combined with AKP's 340 seats, well exceeds the required quorum of 367.

The main opposition Republican People's Party says it will again boycott the vote, arguing that Gul's Islamist past means he is not truly committed to the secular system.

Gul vehemently denies the charges and has taken legal action against some of his critics.