February 23, 2014

Neither conservative nor democrat

İhsan Dağı

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), in its early years of government, claimed to be a conservative and democratic party. At times it acted as such, demonstrating that a reformed Islamist party could soften its ideological stance and embrace democracy as their form of governance.

What a shame, what a pity

Mustafa Ünal, Zaman

Tension has risen not only in Parliament but also in public squares. Deputies will apparently have to work for at least another full week.

The view from Brussels

Şahin Alpay

I was in Brussels last week. On Wednesday, I spoke on the current state of affairs in Turkey during a “Turkey Debate” roundtable meeting organized in the European Parliament (EP).

Guinea-Bissau minister pay visit to Turkish school

Alfredo Gómez, Guinea-Bissau Education Minister visited International Ufuk College, one of the Turkish schools in the country established by entrepreneurs affiliated with the Hizmet movement.

'All religious groups and communities face great danger'

Religious sociologist Muhammet Çakmak is of the view that the logic of, “You are either with us or you are nothing," threatens all religious groups and communities in Turkey. He also holds that this approach has no scholarly value or validity.

'Portraying Hizmet against settlement process groundless'

Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) Vice President Cemal Uşak traveled every inch of Central Anatolia as part of the Wise People Commission for two-and-a-half months last spring to hold meetings with locals in order to listen to their demands and opinions related to the government's settlement initiative with the Kurds.

Tunisia was able to make constitution because of concessions of all parties

A Tunisian politician from the Islamist Ennahda Party said in İstanbul on Tuesday that his country was able to agree on a constitution thanks to concessions from all parties and a policy of political consensus, as he noted that all in the Arab world are tested by power.