Meloni pressures Erogan- “Make Istanbul Constantinople Again”
In a surprising diplomatic encounter on June 28, 2025, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, where she reportedly pressed for a bold historical reversal: the renaming of Istanbul back to its ancient Roman designation, Constantinople. The meeting, held against the backdrop of the historic Hagia Sophia—originally consecrated as a cathedral in 537 CE under Emperor Justinian I—saw Meloni argue that restoring the name would honor the city’s Byzantine legacy, which flourished as the heart of the Eastern Roman Empire until its fall to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Sources close to the discussion suggest Meloni cited the city’s rich Roman heritage, including its role as the capital of the empire under Constantine the Great in 330 CE, as a justification for her unusual demand, delivered with the gravitas of a leader intent on rewriting history.
Erdoğan, known for his assertive stance on Turkish sovereignty, appeared to listen intently as Meloni, sporting a symbolic MAGA-style cap inscribed with “Make Istanbul Constantinople Again,” outlined her case. The proposal has sparked quiet speculation among aides, with some noting the irony of revisiting a name change that occurred over five centuries ago when Sultan Mehmed II conquered the city, marking the end of the Byzantine era. While no official statement has confirmed an agreement, the mere suggestion of such a move has raised eyebrows, given Turkey’s modern identity tied to the Ottoman legacy and the 1930 decision by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to formalize Istanbul as the city’s name. Whether this exchange will lead to a geopolitical quagmire or remain a footnote in diplomatic oddities remains to be seen, as both leaders concluded the meeting with a handshake that left observers questioning the seriousness of Meloni’s pitch.
