Court rejects closure of ruling Islamist party: Turkey

Jul 31, 2008

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled against closing the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for having turned into a "focal point" of anti-secular activities but ruled to impose partial financial penalties on the party...

Six of the court's 11 judges ruled for the party's closure; one vote short of the number necessary to actually close down the party. Kılıç said this was a "serious warning" to the AK Party. Only Kılıç himself voted against any sanctions against the AK Party, while four of the other judges voted to cut Treasury aid. He also said he believed the AK Party "would make the necessary analysis and learn the necessary lesson." Judge Kılıç started his announcement criticizing Turkey's politicians for not passing a regulation that would make it more difficult to open closure cases...

"We would like to see this resolved through negotiation between political parties without launching a suit," he said. He called on politicians to make the necessary legal changes to avoid a similar crisis in the future. He also called on them to work to ensure the conditions where all segments can live together in the society and make the effort to relieve the tension prevailing in the country...

Their power struggle with the AK Party flared up in January when the government lifted a ban on female students wearing the headscarf on university campuses. The Constitutional Court later annulled the reform.

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But the ruling seemed to have something for everyone, clearing the air politically and allowing even Turkey's most adamant secularists to claim it as a victory.

"AKP can no longer continue with its previous line in politics," said Onur Oymen, the deputy chairman of the secular opposition Republican People's Party. "They have been granted a chance. In order to make the best of it, they need to go through some serious self-critique."...

Baskin Oran, a professor of international relations at Ankara University, said the ruling was a sign that Turkey's judiciary, long believed to be well in the sphere of the secular establishment, seemed to have broken ranks.

The three-way stalemate continues: Islamists, secularists and Kurds.