Providing their input as part of Turkey's ongoing efforts to draft a collaborative new constitution, Alevi Bektashi Associations Federation Chairman Selahattin Özel, states, "The new constitution needs to be multi-identity, multi-cultural and multi-faith."
Amongst other proposals were the 'legalization of the Alevi identity' and for Cemevi's to be considered a place of worship. A request was also included for Dervish Lodge buildings to be transferred over to the individual or association connected to the immovable property. Also included was a proposal for increased criminal sanctions in cases involving hate crimes that are religion, language or racially based. And finally, the Alevi Bektashi Associations Federation requested that the clauses, deeming the Department of Religious Affairs a constitutional institution and requiring the mandatory religion course, be removed from the constitution.