At AKP group meeting, Erdogan slams court ruling upholding headscarf ban

Speaking at his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan harshly criticized last week's Constitutional Court ruling repealing constitutional changes that would have ended a ban on wearing headscarves at universities. Erdogan pointed to the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) as the major culprit responsible for the situation Turkey is facing. "In my opinion, the CHP is the primary cause of this situation," he said, "No one has the right to bring the judiciary into a debate and make it part of such a discussion." He charged that the situation was the result of CHP efforts to spark a conflict between the judiciary and the legislature.