The judges who supported the financial sanctions agreed that the AKP had become a "focal point" of anti-secular activities as the chief prosecutor argued "but not that serious" to deserve a ban, he said.
A solemn Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the outcome, saying it would strengthen Turkish democracy, and pledged commitment to secularism.
"The Justice and Development Party, which has never been a focal point of anti-secular activities, will continue to defend the basic principles of the republic," he said.
The AKP will carefully study the ruling and step up efforts to heal political divisions, he said, reasserting commitment also to Turkey's European Union membership bid.
Closing down the AKP, which dominates parliament and is still the country's most popular party, could have sparked political chaos, wrecked Turkey's EU accession talks and hit the economy.
The AKP, which won a resounding re-election victory last year, was accused of seeking to install a regime based on Sharia law, charges that it vehemently denies.
The prosecutor had also asked the court to bar President Abdullah Gul, Erdogan and 69 other AKP officials from party politics for five years.
http://newageislam.com/turkey-s-ruling-party-narrowly-escapes-ban/muslims-and-islamophobia/d/354
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8:38 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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