Turkey’s ruling party AKP has publicly scolded a top member over a draft law proposing prayer rooms in schools, a sign that the party was serious about avoiding more clashes with the powerful secular establishment.

The AKP narrowly averted being closed down by the Constitutional Court last month for Islamist activities and was instead fined for undermining the country’s secular principles.

The party was put under the spotlight when a draft law prepared by its deputy chairwoman Edibe Sozen was made public. It called for places of worship to be built in schools for students of all religions and for the introduction of tough rules on the purchase of pornographic publications.

The draft law has since been withdrawn. Financial markets are closely monitoring any signs of renewed tension in Turkey.

The draft was an individual study by Edibe Sozen. The content of the draft on the Protection of Youth Law is not in accordance with the party programme, and the draft is not accepted and not approved by authorised bodies of our party, the AKP said in statement late on Tuesday.

Opposition parties criticised the proposal as proof of the AK Party’s hidden Islamist agenda. The issue of places of worship in the education system is highly controversial in officially secular but predominantly Muslim Turkey.

The secularist establishment, including army generals, judges and university rectors, has long campaigned against the Government, saying it is trying to undermine the secular state.

The AKP, which has roots in political Islam, denies the accusations and points to its pro-Western, pro-business record in office since 2002. The timing of the draft law could not have been worse, as the party is trying to show a more moderate face after the court ruling. A harsher judgment could have plunged the European Union-applicant country into political chaos.

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