Brawl in the Turkish parliament. The deputies attacked each other

Ashley Davis12/02/2026

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Opposition MPs tried to prevent Minister Akin Gurlek from taking the oath on Wednesday. In parliament There were scuffles and fightsbut eventually the former prosecutor general of Istanbul took the oath surrounded by parliamentarians of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

As a prosecutor, Gurlek presided over high-profile trials against members of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP) – trials that the opposition had long condemned as politically motivated. On Gurlek's orders, the then democratically elected mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, was detained and then temporarily arrested.

A few days later, Imamoglu was chosen by the CHP as its candidate in the 2028 presidential elections. His detention triggered the largest wave of protests in Turkey since 2013.

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What caused the fight in the Turkish parliament?

Who was the new Minister of Justice of Turkey?

What actions did Akin Gurlek take as attorney general?

Why did the opposition protest against Gurlek's swearing-in?

The president of Turkey is reconstructing the government

CHP Vice-President Gul Ciftci wrote on Platform X on Wednesday that “the appointment of Istanbul's Chief Prosecutor as Minister of Justice is a clear reward for his actions against the party” opposition.

The government ensures that Gurlek and the entire justice system operate independently.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, apart from changing the Ministry of Justice, also appointed the former governor of Erzurum Province, Mustafa Ciftci, to replace the current head of the Interior Ministry, Ali Yerlik. No official reason for the government reconstruction was given. The Official Journal only wrote that the outgoing ministers “requested relief” from their duties.

Ashley Davis12/02/2026

0 75 1 minute read