Turkey's prime minister says all schools run by arch-rival must close
Erdrogan wants academies run by exiled critic Fethullah Gulen to shutter
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Turkey's parliament has voted to close private preparatory schools, many of which are a source of income and influence for an Islamic cleric accused by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of covertly seeking to topple him.
The move is the latest as Erdogan battles months of protests calling for his ouster over charges that his government is corrupt and ineffective.
Lawmakers late on Friday set a deadline of Sept. 1, 2015 to shut the schools, Turkish news channels reported. Millions of students prepare at the centers for entrance examinations to win limited spots at state high schools and universities.
The row between Erdogan and his former ally, cleric Fethullah Gulen, erupted in November when government first floated the idea of shutting down the schools, a major source of income for Gulen's Hizmet movement.
In December, a corruption scandal led to dozens of Erdogan's allies being detained in police raids on allegations of bribery in construction projects, gold smuggling and illicit dealings with Iran.
Erdogan accused so-called Gulenists implanted in Turkey's police and judiciary of being behind the graft probe in a bid to undermine his government.
"Pull your kids out, if they go to these schools. State schools are enough," Erdogan told a campaign rally in the western town of Denizli on Saturday.
"They have sucked like leeches. Leeches are more virtuous: leeches suck dirty blood, while they
