MHP's Feti Yıldız emphasizes Article 66 of the Constitution

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy Chairman Feti Yıldız made assessments regarding Article 66 of the Constitution, which is titled "Turkish Citizenship."

In a statement on his social media account, Yıldız expressed that the concept of "Turk" in the Constitution carries a legal and political meaning, not an ethnic or cultural one. He stated that this concept defines the citizens of the Republic of Turkey on a common legal ground.

"ARTICLE 66 IS NOT A DEFINITION OF CITIZENSHIP, BUT A DEFINITION OF THE NATION"

Yıldız emphasized that Article 66 of the Constitution does not define citizenship, but rather defines the nation on the basis of citizenship.

Stating that the roots of this approach date back to the 1924 Constitution, Yıldız reminded that the ideas of Ziya Gökalp found a response on the constitutional ground during that period.

The statement included the remark, "This understanding, which defines the nation as a political and legal union formed by the bond of citizenship, does not reject ethnic, religious, or sectarian identities."

"STATES CANNOT IGNORE IDENTITIES"

Yıldız emphasized that states do not have the power to grant existence to or ignore any identity.

He stated that the claims voiced in some circles that "Kurds can be anything but Kurds" or that "everyone is forcibly considered Turkish" stem from a lack of historical knowledge.

Yıldız said, "Contrary to what is believed, Article 66 of the Constitution does not define citizenship; it defines a nation on the basis of citizenship."

News Source: 12punto