Ismail Kahraman, the speaker of the Turkish parliament, caused an uproar April 25 by suggesting that the principle of secularism be stricken from the new constitution. Secularism has been a thorny subject in Turkey since March 3, 1924, when the Ottoman caliphate was abolished. As scholars observe a rising trend of Islamophobia, there is simultaneously growing interest in the idea of a caliphate in Turkey.

The international Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, established decades prior to the Islamic State (IS) in 1953, emerged with the ultimate goal of resuscitating the caliphate. With a small yet growing group of dedicated followers, Hizb ut-Tahrir’s Wilayat Turkiye has been quite active in organizing rallies, conferences and seminars for the past year.

In April, the group ran a weeklong social media campaign called “Oust colonialists, end terror.” On April 22, it held a conference on “The Issue of Terror, Real Culprits and Lasting Solution” at which five speakers discussed why Muslim-majority countries are facing an increasing number of conflicts, why terror attacks have skyrocketed in Turkey, who the real culprits are behind them as well as what Muslims can and should do about these problems. The answers were clear and straightforward. Hizb ut-Tahrir members said that colonial powers in Turkey were those supporting and generating terror. Therefore, to end terror attacks, they proposed that the US and British embassies be permanently closed and all their personnel expelled. Hizb ut-Tahrir sent letters to the embassies directly asking them to leave Turkey.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is not shy about criticizing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Although Hizb ut-Tahrir appreciates the leadership role President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plays in defense of the rights of Muslims, the group finds it insufficient and ineffective. In Hizb ut-Tahrir's video presentation about Western countries supporting terror in Turkey, the photos in the background were poignant: First Erdogan’s picture would appear with words asking the West, “Are you with us or with the PYD?” in reference to the Democratic Union Party, a Syrian Kurdish group. Then Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s photo would appear with his statement, “Just because we think differently on the PYD, we cannot quarrel with the United States.”