Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan pledged after the verdict that he would try to avoid confrontation in an increasingly polarised society, especially divided over the role of religion. The statement suggests the party is taking the court verdict seriously, said William Hale, author of books on Turkish politics and teacher at Istanbul’s Sabanci University.
The AKP, which embraces nationalists, market liberals and centre-right politicians, will still need to take care not to alienate its large religious grass roots before key municipal elections in early 2009.
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