A parliamentary session in Turkey degenerated into a brawl on Wednesday, as majority and opposition lawmakers engaged in intense tensions over the appointment of a controversial figure to head the Justice Ministry as part of a cabinet reshuffle.
Opposition lawmakers attempted to prevent Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gurlek — appointed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to a top judicial post — from taking the oath of office in the parliament chamber. The situation quickly escalated, with lawmakers pushing each other and, in some cases, even exchanging punches.
Gurlek, while heading the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office, had led important trials against members of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). These trials have been described by the opposition as politically motivated. Despite objections, the former prosecutor was later seen taking the oath, surrounded by MPs from the ruling party.
In the same wave of changes, Erdogan also appointed Mustafa Ciftci, the governor of the eastern province of Erzurum, to the post of interior minister.
The developments come amid a tense political climate, with hundreds of CHP-led municipal officials being arrested in corruption investigations. Among them is Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu - seen as Erdogan's main rival - who was arrested last year, writes WP.
The Turkish government insists that the judiciary operates independently. Meanwhile, no official explanation was offered for the cabinet reshuffle, other than a notice in the Official Gazette that the outgoing ministers had “requested to be relieved” of their duties.
The new appointments come as Turkey is discussing possible constitutional reforms and pursuing a peace initiative with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), aiming to end a decades-long conflict. Parliament is expected to pass legal changes to support the process.
