AKP je u ogorčenom sukobu sa sekularistima, a u julu 2008. je zamalo izbjegla zabranu Ustavnog suda kojom bi se zabranilo bavljenje politikom nekolicini ključnih članova -- među kojima i predsjedniku Abdullahu Gulu i premijeru Recepu Tayyipu Erdoganu.
The AKP has clashed bitterly with secularists and in July 2008 narrowly avoided a Constitutional Court ban that would have also barred several key members -- including President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- from politics.