The Human Rights and Legal Affairs Directorate of HÜDA PAR organized a major workshop in Istanbul on Saturday under the theme “The Search for Social Consensus and the New Constitution.”

The event brought together academics, legal experts, politicians, and civil society representatives to discuss Türkiye’s long-debated constitutional reform process and the roadmap for drafting a new, civilian constitution.

The full-day workshop, held at a hotel in Topkapı, opened with a solemn recitation from the Holy Qur’an by Sheikh Cemal Mürsel Hoca, setting a spiritual tone for the discussions. HÜDA PAR Deputy Chairman and Head of Human Rights and Legal Affairs İshak Sağlam delivered the opening remarks, framing the constitutional issue not merely as a legal matter but as a question of justice, dignity, and the collective will of the nation.

HÜDA PAR Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu, in his welcoming speech, stressed the urgency of building a constitutional order that reflects the identity and values of Türkiye’s people. “The constitution is not merely a legal text; it is the social contract that defines who we are as a nation, the rights we protect, and the future we envision,” Yapıcıoğlu said, emphasizing that the current constitutional framework fails to inspire trust or foster national unity.

The keynote presentation was delivered by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şentop, the 29th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, who provided a sweeping historical overview titled “Why a New Constitution? Turkey’s Constitutional Journey.” Şentop traced the evolution of Türkiye’s constitutions from the late Ottoman period to the present, highlighting the military origins of the 1982 Constitution and its enduring influence on political life. He underlined that any future constitution must be “civilian, democratic, and participatory, grounded in justice and human dignity.”

Three Sessions, One Unified Goal

The workshop was structured into three in-depth sessions, each tackling a critical dimension of the constitutional question:

• Session One explored the roadmap for drafting a new constitution, focusing on the legal mechanisms, parliamentary procedures, and public consultation processes needed to ensure legitimacy.
• Session Two examined the philosophical and ideological foundations of a new constitutional order, with participants debating whether Türkiye’s constitution should be purely secular or reflect its deep-rooted cultural and spiritual values.
• Session Three discussed the expectations of different segments of society—ethnic minorities, religious communities, civil society, and youth—and how a new constitution might secure their rights and foster social cohesion.

Following the sessions, organizers presented a comprehensive final declaration that laid out a vision for Türkiye’s constitutional future.

Key Messages from the Final Declaration

The declaration opened with a bold statement:

“The Constitution is the highest legal document that embodies the will of the people, limits political power through law, and ensures the legitimacy of social order by preventing the arbitrary use of power. The Constitution is the identity of the nation and the skeleton of the state.”

In a direct challenge to state-centered approaches that have dominated much of Türkiye’s history, the declaration warned against elevating the state above the people:

“Sanctifying the state and placing it above the law creates fertile ground for exploitation and arbitrariness. It is the people who should define and shape the state, and this is possible only through a constitution. A noble state can only rise on the shoulders of noble people; the state of oppressed and suppressed masses cannot be strong.”

This framing placed human dignity—not state sovereignty—at the heart of the proposed constitutional vision. The declaration called for a constitution that avoids ideological imposition, focuses on service to citizens, and clearly defines the limits of state power.

Justice, Faith, and Pluralism at the Center

Justice was described as the essence of the new constitutional vision, complemented by Türkiye’s moral and faith-based values. The text insisted that the constitution must be inclusive, protecting the dignity of all ethnic identities and believers and rejecting divisive or uniform approaches to nationhood.

The declaration went on to argue that Türkiye’s constitutional identity must draw on its historical experience, social norms, and cultural accumulation, including its status as an integral part of the Islamic ummah. This should not be interpreted as exclusivist, the text said, but as a framework for strengthening society’s connection to its roots while embracing universal human rights principles.

Practical Proposals for Reform

Among the many concrete recommendations, the declaration highlighted:

• Rewriting the Constitution’s Preamble as a national manifesto that articulates the shared ideals, faith, values, and vision of the people.
• Guaranteeing freedom of religion, conscience, and economic activity, preventing future faith-based rights violations, and protecting individuals from being forced to act against the tenets of their beliefs.
• Ensuring cultural rights, including the right to one’s mother tongue, education, and cultural expression, as essential elements of citizenship and identity.
• Protecting the family as the cornerstone of social order, shielding it from destructive trends and providing constitutional safeguards.
• Recognizing privacy and data protection as fundamental human rights, grounded in both Islamic principles and international legal standards.
• Defining education’s purpose not merely as academic training but as moral and character formation, emphasizing parental rights in shaping children’s education.

A Call for Broad Consensus

Perhaps most importantly, the declaration called for the creation of a Constitutional Reconciliation Commission in the Grand National Assembly, with representation from all political parties. This body would draft a new constitution through maximum social participation and ultimately submit it to a referendum, ensuring that the new text enjoys genuine democratic legitimacy.

“Now is the time to emerge from the shadow of the coup constitution and create a civilian, participatory, and fair constitution,” the declaration concluded, describing the process as a “historic responsibility” that must be embraced by academics, legal experts, politicians, and society as a whole.

A New Era of Constitutional Politics?

The Istanbul workshop may represent a turning point in Türkiye’s constitutional debate, which has long been dominated by calls to replace the 1982 military-drafted charter. By foregrounding human dignity, religious freedom, pluralism, and participatory mechanisms, HÜDA PAR and its partners have added new momentum to the push for a civilian and people-centered constitution.

Whether the political climate will allow for such a comprehensive reform remains to be seen. Yet, the workshop’s message was clear: the time has come for Türkiye to lay aside outdated ideological constraints and build a constitutional order that serves its citizens, reflects its diverse social fabric, and prepares the nation for the challenges of the future. (ILKHA)