Erinç Sağkan elected head of Union of Turkish Bar Associations
Erinç Sağkan, the head of the Ankara Bar Association, was elected the president of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations. Metin Feyzioğlu, the former president, received 152 of the votes, while Sağkan got 182.
Duvar English
Ankara Bar Association head Erinç Sağkan was elected the president of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) on Dec. 5.
Sağkan defeated former union president Metin Feyzioğlu, who has been increasingly drawing ire for his support for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
A total of 348 cast votes in the elections and Sağkan received 182 votes. Feyzioğlu's votes remained at 156.
Speaking after declaring victory, Sağkan said that the outcome was inevitable taking Feyzioğlu's current stance into account.
"Our delegates voted for change," he said.
Noting that citizens need the TBB more than ever in a country that human rights violations are increasing and Constitutional Court and European Court of Human Rights rulings are ignored, Sağkan noted that Feyzioğlu didn't work for the rule of law enough.
He also said that none of the lawyers will be left alone from now on.
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu congratulated Sağkan on Twitter.
"The days that we establish the rule of law are near," Kılıçdaroğlu said.
Right-wing Good (İYİ) Party leader Meral Akşener also stressed the necessity of the rule of law.
"I believe that Sağkan will fulfill his duty with the principle of the rule of law," Akşener said.