Constitutional changes will galvanize Turkey: Erdoğan

ISTANBUL

Once adopted, the sweeping constitutional changes now facing parliament will serve to re-energize Turkey, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Jan. 14.  

“Entry into force of the constitutional changes debated by parliament will have a galvanizing effect on our country,” Erdogan said in Istanbul, at the opening of a new building for Borsa Istanbul, the nation’s stock exchange.        

“No one can stand in front of the new Turkey’s rise and building itself up,” he added.        

Erdoğan said that the final decision on the proposed changes, including a shift to an executive presidential system, would be made by the Turkish people in a referendum following the required passage from the parliament.        

“The nation’s will is very important for that. Right now there is an understanding [in parliament] which cannot tolerate the national will and also cannot tolerate it [the changes] going to a referendum.”      

Erdoğan also spoke about changes to the way foreigners could gain Turkish citizenship. 

“People who enter Turkey with $2 million in investment or bring $2 million [to Turkey] can gain Turkish citizenship,” he said.  
      
These changes amount to a “new understanding” of “global citizenship,” the president suggested.