Turkey’s Ruling Party Survives Day in Court
But it’s not like the AKP (Justice and Development Party) got off unscathed in the case brought against it for allegedly pushing an anti-secular agenda. Six justices of the Constitutional Court voted to shut down the party, while five voted against it. Yet the votes of seven justices were needed to ban the party.
According to the Turkish Daily News, those six votes against the AKP — plus four justices who voted to financially punish the party but not close it — means that the AKP will see its treasury allocation slashed in half. (Court president HaÅŸim Kılıç cast the lone vote opposing any punishment for the AKP.)
Long story short: The chief prosecutor didn’t get what he wanted, but the AKP has been warned.
(Photo by Ilker Akgungor/Getty Images)
admin @ August 1, 2008