Chaos broke out in Turkey’s Parliament on Wednesday after lawmakers from the ruling AK Party (AKP) and the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) clashed over the appointment of a controversial figure to the Justice Ministry during a Cabinet reshuffle.
A video of the dramatic showdown has since gone viral on social media, showing legislators pushing, shoving, and even throwing punches inside the House.
Opposition Tries To Block Oath-Taking
The scuffle reportedly erupted when opposition MPs, primarily from the CHP, surged toward the podium in an attempt to physically block Gürlek from approaching and taking the oath of office.
The opposition has strongly criticised Gürlek over his previous tenure as Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, during which he oversaw several politically sensitive cases and arrest warrants targeting prominent opposition leaders, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Punches Thrown, Human Shield Formed
What began as shouting and pushing quickly escalated into open fighting. Lawmakers were seen grabbing each other, trading blows and attempting to force rivals away from the central area of the chamber.
Members of the ruling AKP formed a protective cordon around Gürlek and the ministerial area in an apparent attempt to allow the oath-taking ceremony to proceed despite the disruption.
The nearly 47-second video shows the scenes of chaos lawmakers colliding, arms flailing, and heated confrontations before the video abruptly ends.
Political Tensions Run High
The incident comes amid political tensions in Turkey. Hundreds of officials from CHP-run municipalities have been arrested in corruption investigations in recent years.
