Turkey can't join EU with new constitution, says leading EU lawmaker

Turkey will close the door on joining the European Union if it adopts constitutional changes backed at a referendum last week, a leading member of the EU parliament responsible for dealings with Ankara said on Wednesday.

Kati Piri's comments come a day after President Tayyip Erdogan told Reuters Turkey will not wait at Europe's door forever and could walk away from EU accession talks if rising Islamophobia and hostility from some member states persist.

The Dutch center-left lawmaker, who is "rapporteur" on Turkey, told reporters ahead of a plenary debate on relations with Turkey that if Erdogan pushed through all the changes, which enhance his own powers, then the EU should formally suspend long-stalled talks on membership.

"As Turkey with such a constitution cannot become an EU member, it also doesn't make sense to continue discussions on accession,"...