Yeni Akit columnist Karahasanoğlu issues a challenge: "We want to change secularism"

Following the May 14 and 28 elections, the AKP's rhetoric regarding constitutional amendments has gained momentum. Most recently, President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated the call for a new Constitution while speaking at his party's 4th Extraordinary Congress.

Meanwhile, Ali Karahasanoğlu, a columnist for the pro-government newspaper Yeni Akit, wrote that secularism needs to be redefined in his article titled "Yes, we want to change secularism, do you have anything to say about it?" The relevant section of Karahasanoğlu's article, in which he issues a challenge, is as follows:

"Let us rewrite secularism..

I know that when Kemalists read this statement of mine, they will be up in arms.

They should not get too excited; they should stay calm.

When I said, “Let us change secularism, let us reorganize the constitution,” I did not propose the following:

“All citizens of the Republic of Turkey are Muslims, whether they want to be or not. They are obligated to perform the five daily prayers, and women are obligated to cover their heads.”

No one is saying such a thing, and no one wants it.

The fundamental principle in our faith is this: “There is no compulsion in religion.”

In this framework, when we say “let us reorganize secularism in the constitution,” we are proposing the following:

You used to teach us that secularism is freedom, didn't you..

Now, let us define secularism that way and put it into the constitution.

Let us say, “Secularism is freedom.”

Let us continue the definition of secularism by saying, “Secularism is not interfering with anyone's belief, attire, worship, or lack of worship.”

I challenge you!"