This development is only the latest step in a long series of restrictive measures to be recommended by the interior ministers' council.

No one wants to use 'national unity' anymore because it was used for years by the government to deny that there was a problem. They can't use 'secularism' because it's a dirty word. So they use 'citizenship,' but that means different things to different people.

Because of the wide coalition of forces supporting the judges, it will only become more difficult for the government to suppress their activism. But whether or not the government will compromise on a draft judiciary law will be seen in the next few days.

This is a regrettable escalation on the part of the government. On the other hand, it will encourage the judges to continue to speak out on the issue of judicial independence.

The positions of the brotherhood-affiliated parliamentary bloc are mixed, and this applies to social issues as well.

They know they're under considerably more scrutiny now. They're aware of the legitimate concerns of observers, and they're trying to accommodate those concerns.