Fistfight in Parliament Highlights Tensions as Erdoğan Names New Justice Minister

Turkey’s deeply polarized politics spilled onto the floor of parliament on Wednesday, where a physical brawl broke out during a session meant to formalize a cabinet reshuffle announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The chaos erupted as opposition lawmakers attempted to prevent the newly appointed justice minister from taking the oath of office.

At the center of the confrontation was Akın Gürlek, a former Istanbul chief prosecutor whom Erdoğan tapped to lead the Justice Ministry. Opposition deputies from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) moved to block Gürlek’s swearing-in, citing his role in overseeing a series of high-profile prosecutions against opposition figures—cases they have long described as politically driven.

Television footage from the chamber showed lawmakers shoving one another, with several punches thrown as tempers flared. The speaker of parliament suspended the session for 15 minutes in an effort to restore order. When proceedings resumed, Gürlek was eventually sworn in, surrounded by lawmakers from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

Gürlek’s appointment has been controversial well before Wednesday’s scenes. As Istanbul’s top prosecutor, he presided over investigations and trials involving senior CHP figures and municipalities run by the opposition. Hundreds of officials from CHP-led local governments have been detained in corruption probes in recent years, according to authorities. Among those arrested was Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, widely regarded as Erdoğan’s most formidable political rival.

In November, Gürlek filed a sweeping indictment against İmamoğlu, accusing him of dozens of offences related to corruption and organized crime and seeking cumulative prison sentences totaling more than 2,000 years. Supporters of the mayor describe the case as politically motivated, an allegation the government rejects, insisting that the judiciary operates independently.

The reshuffle also saw Erdoğan appoint Mustafa Çiftçi, previously governor of the eastern province of Erzurum, as interior minister. No detailed explanation was offered for the cabinet changes. The Official Gazette stated only that the outgoing ministers had “requested to be relieved” of their duties—a formula often used in Turkish politics without further elaboration.

The turmoil in parliament comes at a sensitive moment for Turkey. Lawmakers are debating potential constitutional reforms, while the government is also pursuing a renewed peace initiative with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), aimed at ending a conflict that has lasted for decades. Parliament is expected to pass legislation supporting the process, a task now overshadowed by scenes that underscored how fraught Turkey’s political climate has become.

While fistfights in Turkey’s legislature are not unprecedented, Wednesday’s clash offered a stark illustration of the depth of mistrust between the government and the opposition—particularly over the independence of the judiciary. As Gürlek assumes his new role, the violence in parliament has already turned his appointment into a symbol of the broader struggle over power, accountability, and the rule of law in Turkey.