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Turkish PM attacks proposed ban | Turkish PM attacks proposed ban |
(about 13 hours later) | |
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised a proposal to ban his ruling AK Party as being against the "national will". | Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised a proposal to ban his ruling AK Party as being against the "national will". |
He was speaking after Turkey's chief prosecutor asked the country's Constitutional Court to ban the party, accusing it of anti-secular activities. | He was speaking after Turkey's chief prosecutor asked the country's Constitutional Court to ban the party, accusing it of anti-secular activities. |
Turkey's secularist constitution does not allow any religious influence on the operation of the state. | Turkey's secularist constitution does not allow any religious influence on the operation of the state. |
The AK Party, which has Islamist roots, won last year's general elections. | The AK Party, which has Islamist roots, won last year's general elections. |
In announcing his indictment, prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya said he believed there was enough evidence to show the party had contravened Turkey's secular constitution. | In announcing his indictment, prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya said he believed there was enough evidence to show the party had contravened Turkey's secular constitution. |
He also revealed the party had been under investigation for six months. | He also revealed the party had been under investigation for six months. |
EU warning | |
"The action taken yesterday is not aimed at the Justice and Development Party [AKP] but the will of the nation," Mr Erdogan said. | "The action taken yesterday is not aimed at the Justice and Development Party [AKP] but the will of the nation," Mr Erdogan said. |
"No one can say that [AKP supporters] are a focal point of anti-secular activities," he added. | "No one can say that [AKP supporters] are a focal point of anti-secular activities," he added. |
The proposed ban prompted a warning from European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, suggesting it was not in line with the democratic standards expected of would-be member states. | |
"In a normal European democracy, political issues are debated in the parliament and decided through the ballot box, not in the court rooms," Mr Rehn told reporters in Brussels. | |
"The executive shouldn't meddle into the court's work, while the legal system shouldn't meddle into democratic politics," he said. | |
Turkey is currently implementing reforms as part of its bid to join the EU. | |
Headscarf controversy | |
The AKP is already locked in a battle with Turkey's secular elite, backed by the powerful military, over recent changes to a ban on wearing headscarves. | The AKP is already locked in a battle with Turkey's secular elite, backed by the powerful military, over recent changes to a ban on wearing headscarves. |
The Constitutional Court is reviewing an appeal by the main pro-secular opposition party on the validity of parliament's constitutional amendments in February to allow women to wear Islamic headscarves at universities. | The Constitutional Court is reviewing an appeal by the main pro-secular opposition party on the validity of parliament's constitutional amendments in February to allow women to wear Islamic headscarves at universities. |
The AKP has argued that the headscarf ban unfairly bars large numbers of girls from higher education in a nation where about 66% of women wear the scarf. | The AKP has argued that the headscarf ban unfairly bars large numbers of girls from higher education in a nation where about 66% of women wear the scarf. |
Many secularists in the country equate the wearing of the headscarf with political Islam. | Many secularists in the country equate the wearing of the headscarf with political Islam. |
The AKP has its roots in a banned Islamist party. | The AKP has its roots in a banned Islamist party. |
But the government of Prime Minister Erdogan - which is negotiating for Turkey to join the EU - has insisted that the party's political views have changed. | But the government of Prime Minister Erdogan - which is negotiating for Turkey to join the EU - has insisted that the party's political views have changed. |