Geen strengere overspel-wetgeving in Turkije onder druk van EU (en)

Ankara appears to have sidelined plans to make adultery illegal after protests from the European Union.

Reports indicate that the centre-left opposition joined forces backing with the country's ruling AKP party to back penal code reform.

The AKP had earlier backed such a move but after strong criticism from Brussels appears to have reversed its position.

Its alliance with the Centre-Left party - which deeply opposes the move to make adultery illegal - appears to signal a volte-face.

According to the Anadolu agency, the Turkish parliament convened a special session on Tuesday (14 September) to debate the issue.

Brussels earlier this week said that a ban on extramarital affairs would play to conservative forces.

"It could be misunderstood, or understood, as a concession made in Turkey in favour of the most conservative forces within Turkish society", an aide to Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen said on Monday.