Abstract

AKP can be accepted as the last and most powerful representative of Islamism in Turkey. The party came to power alone; after the general elections in 2002 and in 2007. Within its fi rst period of power; AKP claimed divergence from its extreme Islamist views and it gained trust among the majority of intellectuals. Furthermore; some socialist and liberal intellectuals supported most claims of AKP; in its fi rst period of power. In the second period; AKP’s discourse began to have references to şeria law; more frequently; and fi nally; it lost the support of liberals and socialists. We witnessed some important and mysterious assassinations in the years 2006 and 2007 before the 2007 elections; and pre-elections period of 2007 was characterised by legal issues; which put AKP in a ‘suff ering’ position; once more. This essay is an eff ort in re-evaluating the tension between Islamism and laicism and some political issues of AKP years of Turkey; including four chosen acts of violence against laicite defenders or non-Muslims.