Page "Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople" Paragraph 25

With the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923, the authority of the Ottoman Empire over the Patriarch was transferred to the Republic.

The Turkish state only recognizes the Patriarch as the spiritual leader of the Greek minority in Turkey, and officially refers to him as the " Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Phanar " () ( Phanar is the neighbourhood in Istanbul where the patriarchate is located ).

According to Turkish law, still in force today, he is subject to the authority of the Republic of Turkey ; however, Turkey allows the Standing Synod of Metropolitan Bishops to elect the Patriarch.

To be electable, Turkish law requires the candidates to be Turkish citizens by birth.

Since the establishment of modern Turkey, the position of the Ecumenical Patriarch has been filled by Turkish-born citizens of Greek ethnicity.

As nearly all Greek Orthodox have left Turkey ( see Population exchange between Greece and Turkey and Istanbul Pogrom ), this considerably narrows the field of candidates for succession.