Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Monday that he believes Türkiye will adopt a new constitution during the 2026-2027 period, describing the proposed charter as a modern social contract that would strengthen national unity and enhance the country’s global competitiveness.
Speaking on ongoing constitutional reform efforts, Kurtulmuş said the new text should address Türkiye’s current needs while reinforcing its ability to respond to regional and global challenges.
“I believe Türkiye will realize a new constitution in 2026 or 2027 that befits our nation, ensures the unity and integrity of our people, increases the country’s competitiveness on the global stage and protects it from threats in the region and the world,” he said.
Kurtulmuş also rejected criticism from opponents who argue that there is no “constituent power” capable of drafting a new constitution under the current system.
“I can hear those saying, ‘There is no constituent power.’ Their real concern is denying the nation the authority and status of being the constituent power,” Kurtulmuş said.
The government has been pushing to overhaul the Constitution for over a decade now, which was adopted in 1982 following a military coup that led to the detention of hundreds of thousands of people along with mass trials, torture and executions, which still represents a dark period in Turkish political history.
Over the years, Erdoğan and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) officials have repeatedly called for a new civilian constitution to replace it, describing the current one as "outdated.”
The AK Party has long campaigned for a new constitution, including a declaration announced during its 2023 election campaign. The “New Constitution for the New Century of Türkiye” declaration, which refers to the second century of the Republic of Türkiye, underlined the need for a new constitution. “Establishing a constitutional order based on human dignity for the prevalence of developments in the field of rights and freedoms is necessary,” the 2023 declaration said.
The declaration also said the constitution would preserve democratic gains acquired during the AK Party’s governance and would ensure a high-standard democracy, guarantees for freedoms and the supremacy of law.
Most recently, the AK Party’s deputy chair in charge of political and legal affairs and the party’s Constitutional Commission member, Hayati Yazıcı, stated that the commission is evaluating what provisions should be included in a new constitution, which current articles may no longer be necessary, and how fundamental rights and freedoms should be framed. Once the work is completed, the commission will submit an executive summary to Erdoğan, who also serves as AK Party's chairperson, before moving to a broader consultation phase.
He remarked that drafting a constitution is the right of the nation. “The constitution is made by the people, but up to now the people have never been able to exercise this right,” he said, referring to the 1961 and 1982 Constitutions.
