How do you figure this is good news? They lifted an 80 year old BAN on head scarfs, bowing to Islamic “conservatives.” I don’t see this as good news.
I think it's called irony.
Now on to all with the reason I typed and clicked:
Crucially, Turkey's military made no immediate objection to the result. Turks long have regarded generals as the guardians of [Turkey's constitutional republic] . . ."The military has no choice -- it must accept this result."
The EU has condemned the military for "interfering" and demanded an end to it as a condition of EU membership. If followed what will be the result? Will the Army be needed?
The AKP has ended the appearance of widespread corruption in government and improved the economy. This is from another W-P article: "'All the parties steal in Turkey, and I'm sure the AK Party will steal, too. I know that, but at least they're dealing with the people,' said Ergun Yalkanat, a 36-year-old factory worker. 'They've managed to extend their hands to the people's conscience.'"
Also, the AKP has managed to develop a "reputation that steers between the extremes of religion and nationalism, project an image of relative effectiveness and style itself as an underdog vying with the establishment." It won a majority in parliament last summer.
It was interesting how the head covering will be restricted:
[AKP] officials have promised to interpret the measure as allowing only head scarves that are tied under the chin, a style seen as traditionally Turkish rather than Islamic. The party says it will not allow women to wear more rigidly Islamic attire -- veils that cover all of the hair and neck or the face, or cloaks that cover the body -- in public offices.
I have no idea how this will all turn out but I'd put my bet on the Kemalist; however I do remember when the AKP first came to power. It was in 2003 at the time of our entry into Iraq. The AKP acting leader was Abdullah Gul while arrangements were being made to qualify the real leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan had been banned years ago as an Islamist.
Despite the chaos the AKP darn near got parliamentary approval for our troops using Turkish territory, if I remember correctly. It was the established parties that objected -- and 80 percent of the public objected, also.