Banned Turkish party set to regroup under new name

A leading member of the outlawed Islamist Welfare Party in Turkey has said the party is to regroup under a new name and a new leader.

The comments by Lutfu Esengun, a former minister, came a day after the Turkish constitutional court ordered the party to be dissolved for violating the secular principles of the constitution and banned its leader, Necmettin Erbakan, from politics for five years.

Turkish prosecutors say they will not tolerate attempts by the party, formerly the largest in parliament, to continue under a new name.

The BBC Ankara correspondent says Welfare is determined to present a united front, but this could unravel over the succession to Mr Erbakan, as there are plenty of candidates.

Our correspondent says this political uncertainty has also increased the chances of an early general election.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service