Recep Erdogan on Saturday proposed a referendum on a new amendment to the Turkish constitution, this time guaranteeing Muslim women the right to wear the Islamic headscarf in public administration, schools, universities or the military.
“Come if you dare, let’s submit this to a referendum (…). Let the people decide,” Erdogan said in a televised speech, addressing main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who initially proposed the law guaranteeing the right to wear the Islamic headscarf.
The debate over the Islamic headscarf has intensified in Turkey in view of next year’s presidential and legislative elections.
In Turkey, a country with a majority Muslim population but a constitutionally secular state, the wearing of the headscarf has long been banned in some places, including public officials, schools and universities, as well as the parliament and military headquarters. The restrictions were lifted in 2013 by Erdogan’s government.
In early October, CHP (Republican People’s Party) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said that “there were mistakes in the past regarding the veil” and that “the time has come” to bring up the issue, meaning, according to observers, conservative voters who traditionally vote for Erdogan’s AKP party, a shift of power in future elections. Show them that they have nothing to fear if that happens.
Author: Adrian Dumitru
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