11.08.2026 11:41
Historic regulation for a Terror-Free Turkey passed in Parliament. Politicians gathered in Parliament for the framework law negotiations discussed the resolution process from 15 years ago in a conversation behind the scenes. In response to Ali Babacan's words, 'From that day to this, it has come rolling along,' Efkan Ala replied with the 'bamboo tree' metaphor, saying, 'You water it for years and see nothing, but it suddenly grows. Nothing is wasted.'
The Proposal for the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion was accepted with 467 votes in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) General Assembly and became law. While the discussions were continuing in the TBMM General Assembly, an interesting conversation that brought together the top of politics took place in the Parliament's corridors.
While the framework law discussions, which were brought to the Parliament's agenda after being accepted in the Justice Commission and caused widespread public debate, were ongoing, party representatives came together in the lobby. The striking conversation began when TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and AK Party Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala approached the opposition leaders who were chatting in the lobby. In addition to TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and AK Party Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala, the lobby conversation included DEVA Party Chairman Ali Babacan, Felicity Party Chairman Mahmut Arıkan, and New Welfare Party Chairman Fatih Erbakan.
"WE CAME HERE TUMBLING ALONG"
While the focus of the conversation was the framework law on the agenda, DEVA Party leader Ali Babacan brought up the "resolution process" period carried out about 15 years ago. Reminding that he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Efkan Ala as Undersecretary to the Prime Ministry during those times, Babacan was reported to have made a striking comment summarizing the process, saying, "From that day to this, we came here tumbling along."
ALA'S "BAMBOO TREE" METAPHOR
Efkan Ala's response to Babacan's words left its mark on the conversation. Explaining the steps taken in politics and the ongoing processes with an example from nature, Ala was said to have likened the situation to a "bamboo tree." Emphasizing that the political efforts spent and background work are never wasted, Ala was learned to have said, "You water it for years and it doesn't show, but it grows all at once. That's why I compare it to a bamboo tree. Nothing goes to waste."