Re: CDU in Germany and AK in Turkey.
CDU party congress closes with adoption of election platform The delegates of the CDU federal party congress in Bremen have adopted unanimously the so-called Future Programme. The document has been developed by faction leader Wolfgang Schaeuble and is the base for a joint election platform of CDU and CSU. Amongst others, the platform is stipulating employment for everyone and to boost Germany's economic ability. It also retains a demand for a European energy tax. This demand had temporarily caused arguments with the CSU. Earlier in his speech, Schaeuble said the CDU vouches for political and economic stability. The party congress also adopted a policy against coalitions with left or right extremist parties. In the closing speech, Chancellor Helmut Kohl called again on all members to fight wholeheartedly for a victory in the federal elections. The Liberal FDP welcomed the results of the CDU party congress and called it an end of the loss of direction. Social-Democrats and Buendnis90/Die Gruenen, however, criticized that at closer view the party platform was nothing but an "as before" programme.Note the lack of religious content.
In Turkey, [link|http://www.ejil.org/forum/messages/655.html|the winning party], Islamist roots notwithstanding, is called the Justice and Development Party.
On 3 November 2002, Turkey's voters turned in vast numbers to the AK (Justice and Development) Party, a new political entity with firm Islamic roots but whose greenest leaves are pro-Western, consistently in favour of human rights and democracy, and above all, uncorrupted by Turkey's unpopular political elite. The party was formed only 18 months ago by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, once mayor of Istanbul, who campaigned on a platform of liberal Islam, human rights and democracy, and social justice for all. The forerunners of liberal Islam present attitudes similar to liberal currents in other cultures and demonstrate their tendency to benefit from democratic reforms and a society based on social justice. AK Party's programme is composed of detailed sections paying special attention to keeping religion separate from politics, promoting democracy and multi-party politics, providing religious and cultural tolerance, preserving women's rights, freedom of thought and expression, internalizing human rights and enhancing political participation. What constitutes today's AK Party is the evolution of a number of different factors that combined in a specific historical context and these factors, among others, are the multi-dimensional socio-cultural structure of present day Turkish society, interpretation of Islamic teachings and daily practices of religious faith. In addition, a number of recent developments contributed to this trend: the rise of secular education, the increasing use of international communication and travel opportunities, and the failure of dogmatic interpretations of Islam.My emphais in bold above. To be sure, we'll see what they do.