Turkey court considers ruling party ban
Foreign Desk Report

ANKARA (Turkey)—Turkey’s top court voted unanimously Monday to hear a case that argues that Turkey’s Islamic-rooted ruling party should be banned — a decision that could lead to months of political uncertainty in a nation divided over the role of Islam in society.
All 11 members of Constitutional Court agreed to hear the case for dissolving Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party on grounds that it is threatening Turkey’s secular principles, deputy court chairman Osman Paksut said.
The case highlights the power struggle between Turkey’s secular establishment, including the judiciary and powerful military, and Erdogan and his allies — pious Muslims who advocate political and economic reforms as part of Turkey’s bid to be a member of the European Union.
Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, who also serves as the government spokesman, told a news conference that the governing party will “use its democratic right and defend itself.” “We are focusing on economic issues and reforms to progress the country’s membership bid to join the European Union,” he said.
Istanbul’s stock market closed 1.23 percent lower on Monday, partly because of traders’ concerns over the court decision. The Turkish lira slid 1.7 percent against the U.S. dollar, according to Central Bank figures.
If it is shut down, its members could regroup under the banner of a new party to lead the government. However, a ban on the party could slow or derail government policies, including reforms linked to Turkey’s bid to join the EU. The top court previously closed two political parties deemed to be anti-secular in 1998 and 2001.
Erdogan’s party is the successor of those parties. The chief prosecutor’s effort to disband it highlights the power struggle between the secular establishment and Erdogan allies, pious Muslims who have advocated political and economic reforms as part of Turkey’s bid to be a member of the European Union.
“This is a fight between the Islamists and secularists harking back to early 1900s,” said Nihat Ali Ozcan of the Economic Policy Research Institute in Ankara. He said the legal process would “chip away at the power of the governing party while relaxing the secularists who fear that the secular regime is at stake.”
A ban could hurt the governing party in local elections early next year, especially if Erdogan and dozens of other leading members are barred from politics. Barclays Capital said in a report released prior to the court decision that the controversy could distract the government from economic reforms.
“Again, while we believe these issues will ultimately be resolved, they cloud Turkey’s outlook,” the London-based investment bank said in a report titled “Emerging Markets Outlook: March 2008.” The Justice and Development Party has wide popular support, winning 47 percent of the popular vote in general elections last year.
Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, the chief prosecutor of the High Court of Appeals, has accused the party of fomenting “anti-secular activities.” Yalcinkaya cited the government’s efforts to lift a ban on wearing Islamic head scarves in universities, attempts to roll back restrictions on religious education and allegedly anti-secular comments by ruling party officials. Istanbul’s stock market closed 1.23 percent lower on Monday, partly because of traders’ concerns over the court decision. The Turkish lira slid 1.7 percent against the U.S. dollar, according to Central Bank figures.
The prosecutor asked the court to bar 71 people, including Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, from politics for five years. Even if Gul is banned from politics, he could remain president because the post is supposed to be an apolitical position.
Eight of the 11 members of the top court were appointed by Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the former president who was a strong supporter of Turkey’s secularist traditions.
The government says it will uphold secular principles, and has criticized the prosecutor’s case as antidemocratic. EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said he was concerned about efforts to ban the governing party and suggested the issue could have ramifications for Turkey’s EU membership bid.