Four Turkey MPs wear headscarves in parliament

Four female members of the Turkish parliament appeared in parliament in Ankara on the 31 October 2013 wearing headscarves - for the first time since 1999.

The MPs are members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has roots in political Islam.

In September 2013 Turkey lifted the headscarf ban in a number of state institutions.

The ban was one of the most contentious laws in Turkey, pitting backers of the secular constitution against those who favour Islamic rights.

ESO: Background information: Turkish court upholds headscarf ban http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkish-court-upholds-headscarf-ban/

ESO: Background information: Erdoğan launches democratic reform plan http://www.europeansources.info/record/erdogan-launches-democratic-reform-plan/

France24, 01.11.13: Female Turkish MPs break headscarf taboo http://www.france24.com/en/20131031-turkish-women-mps-headscarves-parliament-secular-erdogan-turkey-muslim-islam?ns_campaign=editorial&ns_source=RSS_public&ns_mchannel=RSS&ns_fee=0&ns_linkname=20131031_turkish_women_mps_headscarves_parliament_secular

Hürriyet Daily News, 31.10.13: New changes legalize headscarves for public officials, discontinue national oath http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/new-changes-legalize-headscarves-for-public-officials-discontinue-national-oath.aspx?pageID=238&nID=55876&NewsCatID=338

Hürriyet Daily News, 31.10.13: Turkish PM praises end of ‘discrimination’ with removal of ban on headscarves in Parliament http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-praises-end-of-discrimination-with-removal-of-ban-on-headscarves-in-parliament.aspx?pageID=238&nID=57189&NewsCatID=338

Deutsche Welle, 31.10.13: Four Turkish lawmakers enter parliament wearing headscarves http://dw.de/p/1A9vu

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