Video: Brawl erupts in Turkey’s parliament over justice minister appointment

A physical brawl broke out in Turkey’s Grand National Assembly as opposition lawmakers clashed with ruling party members during the swearing-in of newly appointed Justice Minister Akın Gurlek.

The incident occurred amid a limited cabinet reshuffle announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Opposition legislators attempted to block Gurlek from taking his oath, surging toward the podium and triggering shoving matches that quickly escalated into punches.

Video footage circulating on social media showed lawmakers from Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) surrounding and protecting the new minister as chaos unfolded on the chamber floor.

Gurlek eventually took the oath under the protection of ruling party members.

The appointment is highly contentious because Gurlek oversaw high-profile cases against opposition figures, including the arrest warrant issued against popular Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoglu, widely seen as Erdogan’s strongest potential rival in future presidential elections.

Critics accuse the government of weaponising the judiciary to neutralise political threats.

This marks Erdogan’s first cabinet shuffle since the 2023 elections and underscores deepening polarisation in Turkish politics.

While the AKP dismissed the protests as undemocratic disruption, the CHP condemned the move as a further erosion of judicial independence.

The dramatic scenes have drawn international attention, highlighting the fragile state of democratic norms in one of NATO’s key members.

As Turkey navigates economic challenges and regional tensions, such parliamentary violence signals rising stakes ahead of the 2028 presidential race.

Corruption probes

Hundreds of officials from CHP‑run municipalities have been arrested in corruption probes, AP reported.

Among them was Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, widely seen as Erdogan’s chief rival, who was arrested last year. The government insists the judiciary acts independently.

No official reason was given for Wednesday’s shake‑up, though the Official Gazette said the outgoing ministers had “requested to be relieved” of their duties.

With inputs from AP