Brawl erupts in Turkish parliament during ministerial swearing-in

A physical altercation broke out between deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) on Tuesday.

Operative Information Center-OMM, citing Turkish media, reports that the confrontation occurred just before the scheduled swearing-in ceremony for the newly appointed Minister of Justice, Akin Gurlek, and Minister of Interior, Mustafa Ciftci. CHP lawmakers reportedly occupied the rostrum in an attempt to block the proceedings, leading to a heated exchange that escalated into a physical brawl involving punches between members of the two parties.

Despite the disruption and the subsequent suspension of the parliamentary session, the ministers were eventually able to complete their oaths of office. Such incidents in the Turkish parliament often reflect deep-seated political polarization between the ruling coalition and the opposition. The TBMM, which serves as the unicameral legislature of Türkiye, has historically been a site of intense debate, particularly during high-profile administrative transitions or legislative reforms.