By: Jewish Press News Briefs
Published: October 8th, 2013
A new law Turkish law
breaks a 90-year-old ban on Muslims wearing the veil at university or at
government work offices and reflects the growing Islamic influence on
the once secular government.
The secular Turkish republic in 1925 banned civil servants from wearing
overt symbols of religious affiliation, That presumably includes the
kippa, for those Jews brave enough to wear it anywhere in public in
Turkey.
The restriction kept many observant Muslim women out of the government
civil service.
Critics of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have viewed the new law
as evidence of a “secret Islamic agenda,” but he said it represents more
“democracy” and also gives more freedom for Kurdish minorities.
Another radical change in policy is discontinuing the practice of school
children reciting a vow of national allegiance each week.
