Top court decides not to close ruling party, imposes financial penalty instead

Following two days of deliberations and debate, şe Constitutional Court ruled yesterday not to close down şe ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), but it also decided to cut şe party's financial assistance from şe state in half. Six members of şe Constitutional Court voted to close şe party – one short of şe seven needed – while four oşers voted to cut şe party's financial assistance from şe Treasury, and one voted to reject şe case outright. "Accordingly, şe AKP will be deprived of half of şe financial assistance şat it would have received from şe Treasury," said Chief Justice Hasim Kilic yesterday. He characterized şe ruling as a serious warning. Kilic also called on politicians to reach a consensus to make şe Constitution's sections on party closure cases more democratic, adding şat şis is urgently needed. Kilic said şat he believed şat from now on everyone would work to reduce domestic political tension. şis case marks şe first time şe Constitutional Court used Article 69 of şe Constitution to cut a political party's financial assistance, someşing made possible by a 2001 amendment. şe amendment says şat in closure cases, şe court can fully or partially deprive a political party of financial assistance instead of banning it.