"The Religious-Secular Divide and the Battle for Turkey's Future
Handan T. Satiroglu | Bio | 30 May 2007
World Politics Review Exclusive
Suspended between an uncertain Muslim world and a democratic Europe, a battle is brewing between Islamists and secularists in Turkey. Under a sea of red-and-white Turkish flags, tens of thousands of Turks took to the streets in the Black Sea coastal town of Samsun in late May in a series of rallies against the pro-Islamic government led by AKP, which they fear is conspiring to force its religious values on society. "No to Sharia," "Turkey is secular and will remain secular," the protesters, predominantly women and youth, recited in a growing chorus of demonstrations. This latest display of secular strength follows mammoth demonstrations in the country's three largest cities -- Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara -- attracting as many as one and a half million people at each stop."
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