ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey's parliament has amended the constitution, lifting a decades-old ban on Islamic head scarves at the country's universities, despite fierce opposition from the secular establishment.
As the legislators voted, at least 30,000 Turks demonstrated in the capital, Ankara, against the amendments and called for the government's resignation.
"Turkey is secular and will remain secular," they chanted, many waving flags. Lawmakers voted 411-103 to approve two amendments, in a final vote, that would insert paragraphs into the Constitution stating that everyone has the right to equal treatment from state institutions and "no one can be deprived of (his or her) right to higher education."
The changes now need the approval of President Abdullah Gul, an observant Muslim who is widely expected to sign the amendments.
In predominantly Muslim Turkey, which seeks European Union membership, Erdogan's Justice and Development Party has channeled the frustration of devout masses who feel excluded from the establishment into political action.
"We will end the sufferings of our girls at university gates," Erdogan said Thursday in reference to pious female students who have been forced to remove their head scarves at the entrance to campuses.
As the legislators voted, at least 30,000 Turks demonstrated in the capital, Ankara, against the amendments and called for the government's resignation.
"Turkey is secular and will remain secular," they chanted, many waving flags. Lawmakers voted 411-103 to approve two amendments, in a final vote, that would insert paragraphs into the Constitution stating that everyone has the right to equal treatment from state institutions and "no one can be deprived of (his or her) right to higher education."
The changes now need the approval of President Abdullah Gul, an observant Muslim who is widely expected to sign the amendments.
In predominantly Muslim Turkey, which seeks European Union membership, Erdogan's Justice and Development Party has channeled the frustration of devout masses who feel excluded from the establishment into political action.
"We will end the sufferings of our girls at university gates," Erdogan said Thursday in reference to pious female students who have been forced to remove their head scarves at the entrance to campuses.
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