Ruling AKP mulls paving way for political activity in Kurdish

ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

The AKP looks to permit political activity in languages other than Turkish. DHA Photo

The democratization package to be presented by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sept. 30 is expected to include a cancelation of both the ban on political parties attending religious events and the ban on political parties holding their activities in languages other than Turkish.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP), through this two pronged approach, is attempting to appeal to both ethnic and religious sensibilities in the region.

From what the Hürriyet Daily News has learned, there will be a change on the Political Parties Law, similar to that enacted on the Electoral Law in 2010, which paved the way for campaigning in Kurdish.

Under the aegis of the possible upcoming changes, political parties will be allowed to use languages other than Turkish for party activities throughout the year, rather than just during the electoral period.

This would mean a revision of the 81st article of the Political Parties Law, in which parties are prevented from using any language other than Turkish in party gatherings and congresses, and in any media.

It will also allow the use of languages other than Turkish in party charters and party programs. If Prime Minister Erdoğan approves the proposal put forward by his party, the restrictions will be completely lifted.

Article 88 of the Political Parties Law; the ban on the attendance of political parties to any “event that could be construed as religious,” apart from those of a “personal” or “ceremonial” nature, will also be re-written. AKP members claim that the law itself is vague and can even be used to punish parties for showing any political affiliation during one of Turkey’s numerous religious holidays and ceremonies.