Turkish main opposition to submit draft law on right to wear headscarf in public

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Turkish main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said that his party will submit a draft law today to guarantee the right to wear headscarf for women. 

In a video shared on his Twitter account late on Oct. 3, Kılıçdaroğlu said: "We are removing women's apparel from the monopoly of politics. We will place this right under legal guarantee. We will completely remove this from being a topic of discussion." 

"As of tomorrow (Oct. 4), we are taking the step that will close up this wound forever. We will submit our draft law to the parliament right after our (CHP's) group meeting. The CHP (parliamentary) group will stand behind this law completely, without any 'buts' and courageously." 

Kılıçdaroğlu's remarks received widespread support among opposition politicians. Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu said that he found the CHP leader's call "very valuable in terms of social peace." "I invite all political parties and lawmakers to support this draft law," Davutoğlu said. 

Islamist Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoğlu similarly threw support behind Kılıçdaroğlu, saying that the draft law would "end arbitrary implementations." 

Kılıçdaroğlu's comments came amid allegations that the CHP would reban headscarf if it won the general elections scheduled to take place in June 2023. 

The issue of the headscarf ban held an important place in public and political debates in Turkey in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lifted the headscarf ban for students in universities in 2010 and for public employees in 2013.

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