Recep Tayyip Erdogan disclosed in October 2004 that his two daughters were enrolled at universities in the United States because Türkiye's prohibition on Islamic headscarves in public higher education prevented them from studying at home while observing their faith.
Appearing on French television channel LCI during a private visit to Paris, Erdogan said, "I am a father who suffers," adding that one daughter was completing a doctorate and the other an undergraduate degree, both wearing headscarves in the US.
Türkiye, like France, bars headscarves from state educational institutions as a pillar of secular public life. The restriction has generated disapproval among portions of a population that is 99 percent Muslim.
Erdogan, who leads the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), noted that the United States, Britain, and Germany impose no equivalent prohibition. He nonetheless said revising Türkiye's law was not on the agenda and that he did not consider such a move appropriate at the time.
His remarks came as several EU member states, citing religious and cultural concerns, were already voicing reservations about Türkiye's bid for bloc membership.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in October 2004, in its own words.