"Turkey's A La Carte Liberalism
By Soner Cagaptay
Newsweek, June 23, 2008
Turkey's ruling Justice And Development Party (AKP) faces a battle for survival as the country's constitutional court reviews a case to ban the party for its allegedly antisecular activities in violation of the Turkish Constitution. But the AKP can save itself if it can prove it is a liberal party and not an Islamist one. Alas, though many have suggested it is a liberal party in the European tradition, the evidence thus far suggests the party's liberalism comes a la carte: since it came to power in 2002, it has fused religion and political conservatism in a way that emphasizes certain liberal values while refusing to recognize others."
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