Court explains pro-EU reforms saved Turkey’s ruling AKP from ban

ANKARA, Turkey — Its pro-EU reforms and moves to boost women’s rights saved the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) from an attempt this summer to ban it, according to an explanation published in Turkey’s Official Gazette on Friday (October 24th).

The justification by the Constitutional Court explains why members decided to reject a ban requested by chief prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya. After the party lifted a ban on headscarves at universities, he accused the AKP of breaching Turkey’s secular constitution and preaching Islamic ideas.

The court stopped short of banning the party but reprimanded the AKP for being “a focal point of anti-secular activities”.