TURKEY’S DARK SIDE. Party closures, conspiracies and the future of democracy
TURKEY’S DARK SIDE. Party closures, conspiracies and the future of democracy

Author(s): Author Not Specified
Subject(s): Constitutional Law, Civil Society, Government/Political systems
Published by: ESI – European Stability Initiative
Keywords: headscarve debate; Ergenkon; Hrant Dink; Ragip Duran; AKP; Ergun Ozbudun; JITEM;
Summary/Abstract: 2007 was a dramatic year for Turkish politics and society, even by the standards of a country used to political drama. However, few people would have expected 2008 to be even more volatile, and potentially catastrophic, for Turkish democracy. || The fact that the Turkish Constitutional Court agreed unanimously on 31 March this year to hear an appeal by the Chief Prosecutor to close down the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and to ban 70 of its members from political life is a serious blow to the credibility of Turkish democracy. || The Chief Prosecutor accused the AKP of being “the focal point of anti-secular activities.” The triggering event was the government’s rather cautious moves to end the headscarf ban in Turkey’s universities. The charges are, however, incoherent and obviously political. Opinion polls reveal overwhelming public support for allowing women with headscarves to attend university in Turkey. There is no other country in Europe where this is a problem at the level of higher education.

• Details
• Contents