AKP

Towards elections: TÜSİAD comes back to political stage with a draft constitution

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  TÜSİAD formulates draft constitution by YAVUZ BAYDAR Will the people of Turkey manage to mobilize for preparing and adopting a democratic constitution? The question is vital in what Ümit Boyner, chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen?s Association (TÜSİAD), calls ?the watershed elections? approach.   I vote for TÜSİAD?s constitution by KERİM BALCI We … Read more

Towards elections: Probably the best election offer, Paid-for military service, rejected by AKP

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I am sure CHP is not very sincere about her proposal still its election promise was the closed to get rid of the mandatory military service for many. And not surprisingly, AKP  leadership, as the new leaders of Establishment, rejected the proposal outright… The CHP?s paid-for military proposal by FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK Following its civil … Read more

Another march today for Press Freedom

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the March took place in İstiklal Street, Taksim, Istanbul. More photos here. Turkish journalists protest over arrested colleagues AFP It was the latest move in a sprawling probe into Ergenekon, a purported secularist network that allegedly planned assassinations and bombings to spark chaos and prompt a military coup to topple the Justice and Development Party … Read more

Towards elections, Turkey main opposition party CHP struggling with another scandal…

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A CHP mired in dirt by FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK The Republican People?s Party (CHP), which has been going through turbulent times since the resignation of its former leader Deniz Baykal due to a video scandal, has been shaken once again with the revelations of an Odatv reporter who was recently detained as part of a … Read more

“Predetermined” Parliamentary elections on June 12.

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Even the main opposition accepts that AKP will lead the elections. The bets are on how much vote it will get… AKP’s current arrogancy is probably due to its being without any substantive alternatives….   Turkey’s general elections to be held on June 12 from Hurriyet Dailynews by ANKARA Daily News Parliament Bureau Parliament approved … Read more

Towards elections, Police violence in Turkey routinized again…

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Police clash with protesters in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011,as they try to stop a march on Parliament by workers protesting government-proposed legislation that they say will strip them of their rights. About ten thousands of workers, many of whom had traveled from across Turkey, had gathered in the capital Ankara and vowed to … Read more

CHP to save Ergenekon suspects; Turkish PM says stress causes harsh rhetoric (!)

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Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan inspects a guard of honour during a welcome ceremony in Kiev January 25, 2011.? Read more » REUTERS/Gleb Garanich Turkish PM says stress causes harsh rhetoric from Hurriyet Dailynews Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that recent comments he made regarding Turkish alcohol consumption arose out of a … Read more

Erdoğan at TÜSİAD meeting. Another step towards the center. And a politics roundup…

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It seems that AKP is about the settle down as a center right political party with a more islamic tone. In the election process, now comes the peace with TÜSİAD… PM Erdoğan and Businessman Rahmi Koç. Photo source here. US embassy cables: Turkish military ‘plot’ sparks US fears for democracy from World news: Turkey | … Read more

Losing patience with AKP’s social politics…

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Municipality elections was a warning and it seems that AKP officials did not get the message and became somewhat increasingly arrogant after the referendum. The following news roundup demonstrate how they become exactly like whom they replaced. A social engineering commanded from above. Not in all cases, AKP may be the real culprit, but the … Read more

Gül’s Diyarbakır visit: “President embraces use of Kurdish, reaffirms Turkish as official language

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Kurdish Town of Cizre Becomes Bilingual from Bianet :: English The departments in the southeast Cizre municipality building, controlled by the pro-Kurdish BDP are titled in both Turkish and Kurdish. Inspite that Turkey officially recognizes only the Turkish language locals mother tongue Kurdish, will be openly used in public institutions. says deputy mayor Gölçe. Gül?s … Read more

As BDP promises greater bilingualism in Turkey’s Southeast, Social distance between Kurds, Turks widening- a politics roundup…

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Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan gives a speech during an Ashura procession in Istanbul December 16, 2010. Thousands of Shi’ite Muslims gathered in Istanbul’s Halkali district to commemorate the Ashura, where Shi’ite mourners beat themselves with steel-tipped flails or slash their bodies with knives to mark the death anniversary of Imam Hussein, a grandson of … Read more

A TR politics roundup. Approachement allegations between Gülen movement and Öcalan and more…

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Meeting with Öcalan?s lawyers? from Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Columnists by HÜSEYİN GÜLERCE Last Sunday, I had a meeting with jailed leader of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) Abdullah Öcalan?s lawyers in Yalova. Öcalan?s lawyers have been meeting with many writers for two years. PKK leader hints at alliance … Read more

A BBC piece on “Bringing Turkey’s coup leaders to book

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Bringing Turkey’s coup leaders to book Jonathan Head By Jonathan Head BBC News, Istanbul Troops seal off main road in Ankara (15 Sept 1980) Hundreds of thousands of people were detained after the coup and many were tortured For 30 years, the officers who led the last military takeover in Turkey have lived secure in … Read more

Necmettin Erbakan: Embodiment of Political Ambition

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photo via By being elected as Saadet Party’s leader again at 84, Necmettin Erbakan demolishes his own political heritage. If he is healthy it may be all right, but he is having difficulties in walking, talking and even breathing and he is now into active politics. A few years ago, the President pardoned him for … Read more

Richard Peres on headscarfed women’s next big challenge… and a politics roundup

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The next big challenge for women who wear headscarves: getting a job by Richard Peres

The recent signs that all of Turkey?s universities may open their gates and classrooms to women wearing headscarves are welcome and worthy of celebration.

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