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Is this the end of Turkish secularism?

Radical Islamist ideas are not only winning out in Turkey, but getting cheerful approval from the last remnants of the secular establishment.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JULY 10: People gather for evening prayers outside Istanbul's famous Hagia Sophia on July 10, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey's top administrative court ruled to annul a 1934 decree that turned the historic Hagia Sophia into a museum. The controversial ruling opens the way for the structure to be converted back into a mosque after 85 years. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan handed over the iconic structure’s control to the country’s Religious Affairs Directorate following a court rulin
People gather for evening prayers outside Istanbul's famous Hagia Sophia on July 10, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. — Burak Kara/Getty Images

The Hagia Sophia opened for Muslim prayer on July 24. As the world grapples with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s abrupt decision, many opposition figures have fallen in line to congratulate the decision.

One can understand the enthusiasm of the Islamist Felicity Party or Erdogan’s coalition partner Nationalist Movement Party, whose bases share strong feelings about the museum turning into a mosque. However, other parties’ reactions are more surprising.

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