13.10.2026 12:20
MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli evaluated the student protests in France at his party's parliamentary group meeting in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Concluding his speech by addressing young people, Bahçeli called out, "Do not hanker after France. Do not fall for Western imperialism. Take ownership of Turkey. Let Turkey be yours." Claiming that European leaders who remained silent about the police intervention against the protests were applying double standards, Bahçeli warned that the protests could spread to other European countries.
MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli said that the students who took to the streets in France once again revealed Europe's problems in the field of social peace and stability. Bahçeli called on Turkish youth not to take France as an example.
“YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT THEIR FUTURE”
Speaking at the MHP's group meeting in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on October 13, Bahçeli touched on the student protests in France. Bahçeli said, “Young people who take to the streets with demands to improve the physical conditions of schools, eliminate the teacher shortage, and ensure equality of opportunity in education are essentially showing that they are anxious about their future.”
Arguing that Europe is facing heavy problems such as rising racism and xenophobia, Bahçeli claimed that young people taking to the streets en masse indicated that the climate of social peace and solidarity would increasingly deteriorate.
BASTILLE SQUARE AND YELLOW VESTS REMINDER
Also evaluating the demonstrators' gathering in Bastille Square, Bahçeli stated that this was more than a reference to the French Revolution and showed that the events had the potential to bring broader masses into the streets.
Stating that the protests recalled the events of 1968 and the Yellow Vests movement of 2018, Bahçeli warned, “If the cited problems cannot be solved, the protests have the potential to spread wave after wave from France to other European countries.”
“EUROPE’S DOUBLE STANDARD” REMARK
Recalling that there were severe injuries during police interventions against the protests and that thousands of people were detained, Bahçeli argued that those who lecture other countries on democracy and human rights can ignore this when it comes to their own citizens. Bahçeli said, “If similar situations occurred in Turkey, the fact that European leaders who would call for human rights and democracy do not speak out against the violence in France has once again exposed Europe's double standard.”
Saying that developments showed that Europe was moving away from the understanding of a social state and that educational conditions were increasingly deteriorating, Bahçeli noted that this situation would likely affect other countries along with France.
EMPHASIS ON PISA RESULTS
Comparing the picture in Europe with Turkey's position in education, Bahçeli said that according to the OECD's PISA 2025 results, Turkey was the OECD country that increased its score the most in all three areas: mathematics, science, and reading skills. Bahçeli reported that Turkey rose above the OECD average in science and reading skills, and caught up with the average in mathematics.
“DO NOT TAKE FRANCE AS AN EXAMPLE, STAND BY TURKEY”
Addressing young people at the end of his speech, Bahçeli said, “I also address our youth. Do not aspire to France. Do not be caught up in Western imperialism. Stand by Turkey. Let Turkey be yours.”