President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s push for a constitutional change to “strengthen the family” and public affronts to same-sex relationships have left Turkey’s LGBTQ community on edge, with many fearful that the controversy will embolden discrimination and hate crimes. 

A draft prepared by Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) reportedly introduces an explicit reference to “man and woman” instead of just “spouses” in a constitutional article on the family.

Erdogan has openly framed the planned change as a move against same-sex relationships. In an Oct. 22 speech, for instance, he said, “Can a strong family have anything to do with LGBT? No, it cannot. … We need a strong family. … Let’s protect our nation together against the onslaughts of deviant and perverted currents.” 

Erdogan has brought up the issue as part of a push for a constitutional safeguard for the freedom of female public servants to wear the Islamic headscarf. He made the proposal earlier this month to counter the main opposition leader’s efforts to reach out to conservative voters from the AKP’s traditional base ahead of crucial elections next year. Erdogan and the AKP — in power since 2002 — face their toughest election test in June amid economic turmoil eroding their popular support. Erdogan, observers say, could try to polarize the public on hot-button issues in a bid to consolidate his base and lure back disgruntled voters.