Ankara, Turkey. President Tayyip Erdogan appointed Istanbul chief prosecutor Akin Gurlek as Turkey’s new justice minister, drawing criticism and defiance from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Wednesday.
Appointment follows crackdown on CHP
Since his appointment as chief prosecutor in 2024, Gurlek has overseen arrests and indictments targeting the CHP, including investigations into Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan’s main political rival, who has been jailed since his arrest in March last year.
In a 4,000-page indictment last November, Gurlek demanded a prison sentence of more than 2,000 years for Imamoglu for allegedly leading a vast corruption network, which sparked Turkey’s largest street protests in a decade.
The first hearing in that case, which accuses hundreds of defendants linked to the Istanbul municipality of corruption and bribery, is scheduled to be held next month.
Parliament scuffle at swearing-in
A scuffle broke out in Turkey’s parliament ahead of Gurlek’s swearing-in after opposition lawmakers protested against his appointment.
CHP deputies gathered around the speaker’s podium to block Gurlek, calling his nomination “an attack on the rule of law.” TV footage showed lawmakers pushing and throwing punches, while ruling AK Party lawmakers formed a protective ring around Gurlek as he read his oath.
Cabinet changes announced
In the first cabinet shuffle since the mid-2023 elections, Gurlek replaced Yilmaz Tunc, who was first elected as a member of parliament in 2007.
The Official Gazette announcement also said Erdogan appointed Erzurum provincial governor Mustafa Ciftci as interior minister, replacing Ali Yerlikaya, who was the Istanbul governor before his appointment as minister.
Opposition and government responses
Hundreds of party members and elected officials have been detained in Gurlek’s crackdown, which opposition parties, rights groups and some foreign leaders have criticised as anti-democratic and politicised, claims the government denies, saying the judiciary is independent.
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said Gurlek’s cabinet appointment continued a “judicial coup attempt” while he was prosecutor and amounted to the latest step in a major attack on his party.
How do you view the impact of Gurlek’s appointment on Turkey’s political tensions?
