Following the AK Party victory, there were high hopes for Turkey to make considerable progress in its European Union reform process, for the economy to flourish under the confidence of single-party rule and for a civilian and democratic constitution to be written, improving conditions for all the country's citizens. Unfortunately, the closure case has hindered the party's efforts to pursue its projects, creating clouds of ambiguity and political turmoil over the country's future. Now that the Constitutional Court has fixed a date the countdown has begun for Turkey to bring an end to the months of ambiguity. Toktamış Ateş of Bugün says he is almost sure the Constitutional Court, which has issued controversial rulings in the past, such as the 367-quorum ruling, will close down the AK Party. Recent calls from EU and US officials, who highlighted the risks and harm the party's closure would deal to Turkey, have led some to increased optimism that the court will rule not to shut down the party, Toktamış says -- but he still predicts the court will close the party, which he does not personally support. "I am against the AK Party's closure because I think closing down a political party does not comply with the fundamentals of [democracy], and I believe that the AK Party did not violate the Constitution as claimed by the prosecutor," remarks Ateş.
Vatan's Bilal Çetin also talks about the prospects of the AK Party's closure, noting that anything said at this point is merely a prediction. Çetin says there is a scenario circulating in Ankara nowadays that does not foresee the party's closure. This scenario presents two alternatives, he explains. "Six members of the Constitutional Court will vote for the AK Party's closure while five will vote against it, but the party will not be closed since seven members of the court must vote 'yes' for the closure of a political party. In the second alternative, the court will not close down the AK Party but [will] prevent it from receiving Treasury funds." Çetin says either of these scenarios would be a relief to the AK Party, since their party will not be closed and their leader, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will not be barred from politics.
Yeni Şafak's Davut Dursun says the AK Party closure case has revealed how some circles that claim to be the progressive segments of society and accuse conservatives of opposing the country's modernization are contradicting themselves by supporting the closure of a political party and disregarding the modern world's democratic norms. "The AK Party closure case has showed how some segments' claims of modernization are far from the standards of the modern world. Their negative stance over the Venice Commission, which set rules for the closure of political parties, reveals their problematic understanding of 'modernization,'" argues Dursun.
Ergun Babahan of Sabah says no matter what the court decides about the closure case, its ruling will not influence just a single person or party, but all of Turkey. He also believes Turkey has the power to overcome whatever consequences of the court decision: "This is what I have believed since the first day the closure case was filed," Babahan maintains.
