Turkey Needs a New Social Contract, Experts Say

A panel of Turkish intellectuals and academics called for a new social contract for the country, arguing that the founding story of the Republic excluded certain groups. The discussion took place during the first session of a conference titled “The Founding Story of the Republic: Opportunities and Those Left Outside.” Levent Köker moderated the panel. Speakers included Erdoğan Aydın, Hülya Osmanağaoğlu, Namık Kemal Dinç, and Pakrat Estukyan. The experts examined how the original social contract of the Turkish Republic created opportunities for some but left others behind. They argued that modern Turkey requires a new agreement that includes all citizens.