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Chaotic scenes at Turkish Parliament; lawmakers hurl punches over Justice Minister’s appointment
Sanjeev Kumar | February 12, 2026 12:21 PM CST

New Delhi: Turkish Parliament witnessed a chaotic scenes on Wednesday after a scuffle broke out between the lawmakers of the ruling party and the Opposition over the appointment of a controversial figure to the Justice Ministry in a cabinet reshuffle.

The brawl erupted during the oath-taking ceremony of newly-appointed Justice Minister Akin Gurlek. Gurlek, Istanbul Chief Prosecutor, was appointed to the top judicial portfolio, was prevented from taking the oath of office by Opposition legislators. His nomination to the powerful Justice Ministry has evoked sharp criticism from Opposition parties, who accuse him of political bias.

Video of the scuffle has surfaced showing the lawmakers pushing and shoving each other, with some hurling punches.


Why Opposition objected to Gurlek’s appointment

Gurlek, as Istanbul chief prosecutor, had judged and passed order in several high‑profile trials against many members of the main Opposition party, the Republican People’s Party or CHP. The Opposition has long been denouncing the proceedings as politically motivated. The Opposition lawmakers alleged that his appointment is aimed at weakening government critics and would further undermine judicial independence in the country.

Following the brawl, the speaker of Parliament eventually suspended the sitting for 15 minutes in an effort to restore order. After the brief break, Gurlek was sworn in, surrounded by lawmakers of the ruling party Justice and Development Party (AK Party) who shielded the nominee by forming a protective cordon amid the chaos.

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