ANKARA -- Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's power base ebbed further on Wednesday after he was forced to call early elections this year to try to end weeks of political turmoil, AFP reported.

The ailing 77-year-old Ecevit on Tuesday called for elections to be held on November 3 after a mass defection from his Democratic Left Party (DSP) saw his Parliament majority disappear.

The poll announcement was welcomed by financial markets after 10 weeks of political upheaval, triggered by Ecevit's failing health and a government rift on key reforms required under Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

And Ecevit vowed that the government will try to push through the necessary reforms before the November election, which was not normally due to take place until April 2004.

His party lost another seat in Parliament on Wednesday and the three-way coalition government now has a minority of 274 seats in the 550-member Parliament, which is to consider the election proposal at an extraordinary session September 1.

"The government will stay in power for some time -- maybe days or weeks -- like a sick man holding on to his life," said an editorial in the mass-circulation ***Hurriyet*** newspaper Wednesday.

Ecevit, 77, had earlier rebuffed calls from both the opposition and inside his coalition for early elections on the grounds they would cost Turkey time when the country is battling its worst recession in years and trying to advance its struggling bid to join the EU.

Fears had arisen that the political turmoil could disrupt a three-year-economic recovery program backed by a 16-billion-dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

But Economy Minister Kemal Dervis assured investors on Tuesday that the economic reforms would remain on track despite a change of government.

Ecevit told the mass-circulation ***Sabah*** newspaper that coalition leaders would now put before Parliament democracy reforms such as the abolition of capital punishment and expanded cultural rights for the country's Kurdish minority before the nation goes to polls.

"We have reached a compromise on reforms demanded by the European Union... The laws will be passed by Parliament before elections," Ecevit said.

The reforms have been deadlocked by stiff opposition from the coalition's far-right wing, the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), on the grounds that they would fan ethnic separatism and harm Turkey's unity.

But MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, who has openly declared that his party would not support the reforms, has nonetheless allowed its coalition partners to bring them to a vote in Parliament.

Leading newspapers said the coming months would be a test for the government and the opposition to make progress on the crucial reforms.

"The current situation is more convenient for taking steps on the EU issue than earlier," the ***Hurriyet*** said. "This will be a test of sincerity and honesty" for the opposition.

Opposition parties had earlier declared that they would back the reforms in Parliament if the coalition agreed to bring elections forward.

Turkey, lagging behind the 12 other EU candidates, wants a date for the start of accession talks by the end of the year when the 15-member bloc is to draw up its enlargement calendar.

But Ankara has been clearly told by its European partners that it must fulfill the union's political criteria before it can sit down at the negotiating table.

Ecevit conceded that time was running out to make progress on the EU issue.

"We have very little time. We will take care of whatever we can.

We will deal with the most sensitive ones," he said, adding that he did not see any possibility of Parliament convening before September.

But the main opposition center-right True Path Party (DYP) has proposed Parliament return to work on July 22 and has received backing from the Islamist opposition party Justice and Development Party (AK).

At least 110 MPs need to submit a proposal to summon legislators back from summer recess before September.

The head of Turkey's election board has said Parliament must convene in the shortest time possible if polls are to be held in November.

"At least three months and a half are required to prepare for elections after the decision is made," Tufan Algan said.