NEWS

AKP says voters support Hagia Sophia conversion plans

AKP says voters support Hagia Sophia conversion plans

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) claimed that most of its voters and a significant number of opposition voters agree with a government plan to reconvert Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque.

AKP said a survey it conducted revealed that 90 percent of AKP and nationalist MHP voters, 70 percent of the right-wing IYI Party voters and 40 percent of the Kemalist main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) voters want to turn the museum and world heritage site into a mosque.

Turkey’s Council of State is expected to issue its ruling on the matter on July 2.

Built in the 6th century by Byzantine emperor Justinian as a church, the building was converted into a mosque after the conquering of Constantinople in 1453.

It 1923, Mustafa Kemal turned it into a museum.

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