Publication

This paper addresses the backgrounds of the trial against Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which is accused of acting against secularism. It explores the history of Turkish secularism, outlines the rise of religious parties and re-Islamization and looks at the economic bases of the religious movement. Subsequently, the paper discusses the ineffective opposition to the AKP, the role of the armed forces as guardians of secularism as well as economic development under the AKP government. The author points to the urgent need for a new and more democratic Constitution in Turkey with fewer rights for the state and more for the individual.