Controversy over the word ‘Coup’ in Turkish Parliament’s General Assembly
Turkish Parliament General Assembly gathered under the chairmanship of Meclis Başkanvekili Bekir Bozdağ to discuss the ‘Climate Law Proposal’. During the part where members of parliament spoke, AK Party Istanbul Deputy Adem Yıldırım made comments, saying, “The statement of the CHP General Chairman Özgür Özel, who was elected with a questionable congress and quickly accepted the dubiousness of this congress without even waiting for the court decision and went to an extraordinary congress where no candidate was allowed and the General Chairman was elected with a single candidate, proves that he is a dubious chairman. This statement is aimed at hiding the corruption and theft in CHP municipalities. However, while it should be said that the CHP Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, who stole the money of 16 million Istanbul residents, is a ‘thief mayor’, Özgür Özel’s linking cukka to cunta, is a sign of his admiration for the English.”
In response to AK Party Deputy Yıldırım’s statements, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Ali Mahir Başarır said, “The 1980 coup, the coup made by Evren, was a coup against the right, left, young, and intellectuals of the country. Many politicians were imprisoned in the 1980 coup. Who imprisoned them? The Cunta imprisoned them. I calculated how long they stayed in prison individually during the coup period; 7 years. I calculated all the elected deputies, mayors, Mehmet Haberal, Tuncay Özkan, Engin Alan, Selahattin Demirtaş starting from 2010 during your rule. How long did they stay? 95 years 2 months. I ask, one is during Kenan Evren’s coup period, the other is during your rule; For God’s sake, let’s be honest, today 296 of our friends, our youth are in prison. An indictment has been announced today, political ban is being requested; courts have not given release orders yet and YÖK President is saying, ‘Expel these kids’. In the 28th February, there was a coup, you called it a ‘coup’. During 28th February, weren’t we, our General Chairman, Mr. Özgür Özel, you, all of us, in the streets, squares for the ban on our veiled sisters, friends, and classmates?”
As the discussions continued in the General Assembly, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Ali Mahir Başarır stated, “Let’s look at the coup periods: 1954 general election results, look, the black areas are the Democratic Party’s, the red areas are CHP’s; we are lagging behind. 1957 general election results: The black areas are the Democratic Party’s, the red areas are CHP’s, there is a big increase. I move on to the 2019 local election results; all the yellow areas are AK Party, the red areas are CHP. I go to the 2024 local elections. The majority of the reds are CHP, the yellows are Justice and Development Party. Why am I saying this? After the 1957 election and the increase in votes, Turan Güneş published that famous civilian manifesto; they acted for the will of the people, for freedom, our party did it. Turkey has money hangers, every time a coup and junta came, the US is behind it; if Trump loves and praises someone, know that there is something strange there. My General Presidents Deniz Baykal and Bülent Ecevit were in prison during the 1980 coup. Where was Tayyip Bey? He was playing ball in Kasımpaşa.”
In response to CHP’s statements, AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Abdulhamit Gül stated, “Comparing the activities of our government, which serves our people with the support of our people, with the 12 September period, with a coup period is not acceptable, even saying ‘It is further back’. We absolutely do not accept CHP leader’s statement calling our President, ‘Coup’, we absolutely reject these statements, we return these statements exactly. To use these expressions, CHP should first look at its own political history. In all the democracy struggles in Turkey, CHP has always been with all the elements that are illegitimate and anti-democratic, which supported the coup. CHP has always opposed this nation’s values, the will that came out of the ballot box. CHP is disturbed by the votes of this nation, CHP is disturbed by this nation. To call our President, who always comes to power with the votes of the people, ‘Coup’, is at the very least the greatest folly in this sense, it is not recognizing Turkey, it is not recognizing this people.”
As the debates continued in the General Assembly, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Ali Mahir Başarır said, “We are discussing a very important law, it also concerns the future generations. The Commission is here, Mr. President, the board is here, Yeni Yol group, GOOD Party, MHP, DEM Party, CHP are here but the AK Party group is not. Can there be such irresponsibility? I count from left to right; there are 15 deputies. When a law proposal brought by the ruling party is being discussed, shouldn’t the deputies of that ruling party be present in the General Assembly? Why are you making this Assembly disreputable? You sit in the rooms or elsewhere without even feeling the need to support the proposal. The task of this Assembly is to make laws, everyone expresses their thoughts for or against. A law proposal has been brought, it has been discussed in the committee. Dear AK Party members, you are a small group, at least do not intervene, listen. Look at the General Assembly, the AK Party group only comes to vote. They don’t even know where to vote. Therefore, Mr. President, I have 7 minutes, instead of making a speech, I will wait silently in protest to the AK Party group for not being present to support the proposal they brought.”
While the discussions were ongoing in the General Assembly, CHP Elazığ Deputy Gürsel Erol, speaking on behalf of his party, said, “We are discussing a very important law that concerns us and the future generations. The Commission is here, Mr. President, the board is here, Yeni Yol group, GOOD Party, MHP, DEM Party, CHP are here but the AK Party group is not. Can there be such irresponsibility? I count from left to right; there are 15 deputies. When a law proposal brought by the ruling party is being discussed, shouldn’t the deputies of that ruling party be present in the General Assembly? Why are you making this Assembly disreputable? You sit in the rooms or elsewhere without even feeling the need to support the proposal. The task of this Assembly is to make laws, everyone expresses their thoughts for or against. A law proposal has been brought, it has been discussed in the committee. Dear AK Party members, you are a small group, at least do not intervene, listen. Look at the General Assembly, the AK Party group only comes to vote. They don’t even know where to vote. Therefore, Mr. President, I have 7 minutes, instead of making a speech, I will wait silently in protest to the AK Party group for not being present to support the proposal they brought.”
As the discussions continued, the Meclis Başkanvekili Bekir Bozdağ made a reminder about being respectful in the Assembly and AK Party Deputy Mertoğlu apologized if any religious group was offended. The discussions ended with a reminder of the importance of respectful behavior in the Turkish Parliament.
