Coalition dreaming

摘要

The inauguration of Turkey's new par-liament on June 23rd was a heady day for this wobbly democracy. Pious Muslim women were able to take the oath with their heads covered for the first time without being harassed by secular dinosaurs. Three Armenians, two Yazidis, a Syriac, a Roma and numerous Kurds and Alevis (and a total of 96 women) made for the most colourful chamber in the republic's 92-year history. And though an openly gay candidate for the People's Democracy party (HDP) did not win, his party easily cleared the 10% threshold imposed in the 1980s to keep small parties out.