Turkey might just loose it’s EU membership to a woman’s head scarf. Turkey’s top court will be hearing a case within the week to shut down the ruling Justice and Development (AK) party for allegedly promoting Islamic activites. The EU has expressed concerns regarding the stability of the party which had won 47 percent of the vote in its re-election last year. If the court rules against the government proposals to allow girls to wear the Muslim headscarf at university, the party might just topple and so will the chances of Turkey continuing in the EU.
Although the indictment was intially believed to be just a warning to the party, but rumours are out that AK party members are looking at ways of ensuring their survival after an expected ban. The constitutional court could ban up to 71 of the party members, which include Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister, and President Abdullah Gül, from party affiliation.
The AK party has already had many battles with the country’s Secularist establishment in the mainly Muslim but officially secular country. Last year a constitutional court ruling thwarted AK’s first attempt to elect Mr Gül as President but since AK won the snap election that followed with a landslide victory, Mr Gül was elected to be President. The party has denied all allegations of promoting Islam.
Source: Times Online
