Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for fair representation of Muslims in global decision-making, saying they make up a quarter of the world’s population but lack a voice in key institutions.
Erdogan renewed his call for a Muslim country to be granted veto power on the UN Security Council, saying it is no longer just a necessity but “an absolute imperative.”
Speaking to foreign ambassadors in Ankara on Monday, Erdogan stressed that Muslims, who constitute a quarter of the world’s population, are unjustly excluded from key global decision-making bodies. He argued that this lack of representation must be corrected to ensure fairness in international governance.
“Muslims must have a say in the global decision-making processes, as they rightfully deserve,” Erdogan said. “Having an Islamic country with veto power on the UN Security Council is no longer just a need, but an imperative.”
The Turkish leader made these remarks during an iftar meal marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. He has repeatedly called for reforming the UN system through his well-known slogan, “The world is greater than five,” referring to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the US, the UK, France, Russia, and China.
Erdogan accused these countries of consolidating their power rather than distributing it fairly.
“The five permanent members are attempting to suppress global problems by centralising control instead of promoting justice,” he said. He warned that as long as resistance to change persists, both the scale and number of global crises will continue to increase.
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The Turkish president also voiced concerns over the declining trust in international institutions. He said that as faith in the global security system weakens, a dangerous shift is taking place, where self-interest prevails over cooperation, and international norms are being replaced by a “law of the jungle.”
He argued that the domination of weaker nations by powerful ones has led to severe injustices, with avenues for the oppressed and marginalised to claim their rights being systematically shut down.
Erdogan further linked the rise of xenophobia, terrorism, and far-right extremist movements to this unjust world order. He warned that growing instability and escalating conflicts around the world are symptoms of a deeply flawed system that prioritises the interests of a few while leaving billions of people without a voice.
His remarks reinforced Turkey’s long-standing position that the UN must be reformed to reflect the realities of today’s world, rather than maintaining a structure established after World War II.
