Turkey’s parliament descended into chaos on Wednesday as lawmakers exchanged punches during a heated session over the swearing-in of Akın Gürlek as the country’s new Minister of Justice.
The confrontation erupted after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appointed Gürlek, the former chief public prosecutor of Istanbul, to the key cabinet position. Opposition members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) attempted to block him from taking the oath, condemning his appointment as an “attack on the rule of law.”
CHP lawmakers accused Gürlek of targeting opposition figures during his tenure as Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, particularly Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — one of Erdoğan’s most prominent political rivals.
Video footage from the parliamentary session showed members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the CHP shoving one another and throwing punches as tensions spiraled. The fracas forced the parliamentary speaker to suspend proceedings for 15 minutes to restore order.
Despite the disruption, Gürlek eventually took the oath of office, flanked by ruling party legislators, according to Euro News.
Controversial Record
As Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Gürlek oversaw several high-profile cases involving opposition figures. Last March, he issued an arrest warrant for Mayor İmamoğlu — a move that sparked nationwide protests and drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who described it as politically motivated.
In November, Gürlek filed a sweeping indictment against İmamoğlu, accusing him of 142 offences related to corruption and organized crime and seeking a combined prison sentence exceeding 2,000 years.
Supporters of the mayor insist the charges are aimed at weakening Erdoğan’s chief political challenger.
Wider Cabinet Shake-Up
Wednesday’s cabinet reshuffle also saw Mustafa Çiftçi, the former governor of Erzurum province, appointed as interior minister.
No official reason was given for the changes, although Turkey’s Official Gazette stated that the outgoing ministers had requested to be relieved of their duties.
The cabinet overhaul comes amid intensified debate over potential constitutional reforms and a renewed peace initiative involving the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), aimed at resolving a decades-long conflict.
Political analysts say the appointments could have far-reaching implications for Turkey’s domestic politics, relations with opposition-led municipalities, and ongoing negotiations with Kurdish groups.
