On his flight back from Azerbaijan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to journalists regarding the new constitution, talks with Syria, and discussions about his re-election.

Stating that the new constitution would be a social contract that transcends political parties, Erdoğan claimed, “Our intention with the new constitution is not to create space for ourselves, secure individual interests, or elevate ourselves. Let me make this clear once and for all. We do not want a new constitution for Tayyip Erdoğan, but for 86 million people.”

Erdoğan announced that he had appointed an 11-member team to work on the issue and that work would begin after Eid al-Adha (on June 6-9).

Erdoğan remarked that “the constitution is a social contract that does not encompass a single party, but rather the entire nation.”

Criticizing the stance of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Erdoğan said, “If they adopt a conciliatory approach, why wouldn't we work with them?”. He added that there was no such approach within the CHP.

Erdoğan stated that they viewed the agreement reached between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the ruling regime in Damascus in the context of the Kurdish issue as positive, adding, “The most important thing is that the promises are implemented in accordance with the timetable set out in the agreement.”

Reminded of his remark that he had no intention of running for office again, Erdoğan linked his political future to the will of the people: “We have entered every race with confidence in our nation. Today and tomorrow, we will continue to listen to our nation. We will shape our course according to the path they have laid out for us.”