Turkish media have reported that a Justice and Development Party (AK Party) official filed a complaint with the Supreme Election Board (YSK) asking it to outlaw the campaign slogan of Şanlıurfa Mayor Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba ahead of the 2009 local election, claiming that he was abusing religious symbols in the name of politics in billboard advertisements.
Fakıbaba introduced his campaign slogan -- “Tamam, inşallah” (OK, God willing [we will win the election]) -- at a ceremony ahead of the 2009 local election in Şanlıurfa, where he ran as an independent candidate for the post of mayor. However, Hüseyin Polat, who was an AK Party official at the time, filed a complaint with the YSK against Fakıbaba for “abusing religious symbols in the name of politics.”
Polat reportedly indicated in his complaint petition that according to regulation No. 341 adopted by the YSK in 2009, religious or sacred symbols cannot be used in political advertisements or announcements. However, the YSK rejected the application, saying that the word “inşallah” has a broad meaning and cannot be narrowed down to a religious theme.
Fakıbaba was elected mayor of Şanlıurfa when he ran as an AK Party candidate in the 2004 election. He later parted ways with the AK Party and was re-elected Şanlıurfa mayor as an independent candidate in 2009. Shortly after, Fakıbaba joined the Felicity Party (SP) but left it in 2010. He later rejoined the AK Party at a ceremony during the party's parliamentary group meeting in 2013.
Ironically, on Sept. 23 of this year, the YSK issued a ban on broadcasts of the AK Party's campaign song for the Nov. 1 snap election on the grounds that it “abused religious symbols in the name of politics” after Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Mahmut Tanal submitted a complaint earlier the same day.
On Sept. 21, interim Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu introduced the party's campaign song, named “Haydi Bismillah!” (In the name of God, let's go!), in which the lyrics heavily play on religious themes. AK Party Deputy Chairman Bekir Bozdağ announced on his Twitter account on Sept. 23 that the YSK had imposed a ban on broadcasting the party's campaign song.
The lyrics of the song are as follows:
In the name of God
We take the road
We are renewed, refreshed
In the name of God
We will move forward
Let's move forward together
In the name of God
We left our mark
From one end of Turkey to the other
We have hope
In the name of God
Fuente: http://www.todayszaman.com/national_ak-party-asked-ysk-to-outlaw-sanliur...
