Main opposition CHP boycotts budgetary talks at Turkish Parliament after trustee appointment
The Turkish Parliament has begun budget discussions with deputies from the main opposition CHP missing, as they boycotted the recent trustee appointment to a district municipality in Istanbul run by their party.
Ceren Bayar / Gazete Duvar
The Turkish Parliament on Oct. 31 began discussions on the 2025 budget. Lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) did not participate in the discussions due to the appointment of a trustee to Esenyurt district municipality in Istanbul.
Some opposition deputies raised the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer from the CHP and the appointment of a trustee to his position during the meetings in the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party deputy Saruhan Oluç took the floor at the start of the session, stating that Mayor Özer was arrested on baseless, fabricated charges, and a trustee was appointed to the district.
Oluç emphasized that the parliament represents the people’s will, saying, “We are the Assembly, representing the will of the people. The people’s will was blatantly disregarded in Esenyurt. Instead of writing ‘Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the people’ in the General Assembly, it should say ‘Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the trustee.’”
Oluç argued that with the legislation enacted during the post-coup state of emergency, a system that undermined democracy was established. He added, “The Parliament cannot remain silent when the people’s will and electoral law are completely violated. It cannot draft a budget in silence. This is openly a coup.”
Oluç called the appointment of a trustee to Esenyurt Municipality a coup against the people’s will, saying, “The Parliament’s duty is to stand against this coup mentality. It must not stay silent. The continuation of the trustee policy is the clearest indication that democracy does not exist in Turkey. We protest the arrest of Esenyurt’s mayor and the appointment of a trustee in his place.”
The discussions continued with a presentation by Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, who highlighted new constitutional talks. He said, “It is essential for the parliament to always keep the need for a new constitution that serves the nation’s interests on its agenda. At every step we take to fulfill this duty, we maintain equal distance from all parties and prioritize a consultation-based process.”
Kurtulmuş, who met with all parties in parliament, both represented and unrepresented, regarding the constitutional talks, stated, “Politics must play a leading role in this regard; because without empowering politics, it is impossible to mobilize other stakeholders and achieve an inclusive transformation.”
Kurtulmuş argued that the participation of not only political parties but also broad segments of society and civil society representatives in the constitutional process would contribute to Turkey’s normalization. “As the normalization process strengthens, we see that positive steps can be taken on issues that require multi-party consensus, especially the constitution,” he said.
Kurtulmuş added, “I believe that constitutional work will yield beneficial results if there is no debate over the first four articles.”
Kurtulmuş presented the 2025 parliamentary budget of 17 billion 817 million 190 thousand Turkish liras ($519.3M) to the Planning and Budget Commission.
DEM Party deputy Sırrı Sakık took the floor and began by rejecting what he described as oppression policies in Esenyurt. Sakık said, “You are not talking about the people’s will. There is disrespect for the people’s will. I know Ahmet Özer, and he doesn’t even have a traffic violation, yet you’re taking control there. I am a member of parliament whose immunity has been removed and replaced by a trustee. The people’s will is not only in the Parliament but also in the municipalities.”
Sakık recalled recent statements made by the government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and said, “After 101 years of conflict, we should pave the way for peace. Parliament and all its 600 deputies should lead this. Ignore the racist, nationalist groups. Their raison d’être is conflict, violence, and death.”
He continued, “This land needs peace and democracy. If the Kurds, Turks, and other peoples are included in this constitution, we can build a common homeland and future together. If the hand you extend to us is one of arrogance, we will reject that arrogance. We reject condescension.”
The budget meetings will continue until the end of the year.
(English version by Ayşenaz Toptaş)