02.06.2026 23:50
A dispute over "theft" erupted between AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu and CHP Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın during a speech in the Turkish Grand National Assembly General Assembly. After AK Party's Akbaşoğlu said, regarding the CHP's absolute nullity decision, "How are they trying to cover up blatant theft and shameless acts?" CHP's Günaydın reacted, saying, "I return the words 'theft and shamelessness' to you. Who are you to talk to me about thieves and shameless people?"
The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT) General Assembly convened under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker of Parliament Celal Adan.
In the General Assembly, discussions were expected to begin on the "Draft Law Amending the Soil Protection and Land Use Law, the Paddy Law and Certain Laws," which includes regulations on alcohol and provisions prohibiting housing cooperatives from acquiring ownership and limited real rights over agricultural lands.
Before the discussions on the draft law, Adan gave the floor to the group deputy chairs of the political parties.
GÜNAYDIN: THE ABSOLUTE NULLITY DECISION IS AN OPEN COUP AGAINST DEMOCRACY IN TÜRKİYE CHP Group Deputy Chair Gökhan Günaydın, drawing attention to the fact that the absolute nullity decision against the CHP is not an internal affair of a political party, stated: "It is an open coup against democracy in Türkiye. A congress held on November 4-5, 2023, was followed by a first-instance court saying 'There is no problem there.' After two and a half years have passed, and despite all the clarity in the legislation of the Supreme Election Council, attempting to annul it with absolute nullity by another judicial body outside the YSK and its provincial organization, moreover without respecting statute of limitations, means eliminating all security of the electorate and the elected in Türkiye. This decision means eliminating competitive, electoral, democratic life in Türkiye, a democratic life based on political parties. This decision is also an open manifestation of his excellencies' understanding, which says, 'I will determine the presidential candidate who will oppose me. If he is too strong, I will imprison him. I fear him even in prison, so I will annul his diploma. I will decide how opposition parties are run, I will choose who will be the leader. I will decide whether they can enter the next election.' This is an understanding that has nothing to do with justice and law."
"WE ABOLISHED THE SULTANATE FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO, NO ONE CAN SPEAK AGAINST DEMOCRACY IN THIS COUNTRY" Günaydın, stating that those who see the absolute nullity incident as an internal affair of a political party are completely disconnected from the realities of Türkiye, expressed the following: "Here they tell us: 'Municipalities should stay away from all kinds of business. Financial matters, of course all kinds of disputes, negligence, they should stay away from them.' Well, we say, 'Bring the ethical code of politics, let's pass the political ethics law,' we say, 'Come on, each of you declare your assets.' I declare mine as an example. Is there any one of you to declare? It doesn't work by bragging, it doesn't work by bragging; you need to demonstrate a will here, demonstrate a will so that we can see. Ah, then there is something else: 'We have nothing to do with the issue. You have nothing to do with the issue, is that so? What do you have to do with, for example? Do you have nothing to do with high inflation, high unemployment, the justice crisis, the judiciary crisis, all the sensationalism and scandals emerging in the international arena?
The CHP is a political party founded one hundred and three years ago; it is a political party of foundation and liberation. It has faced many coups to date, many of its leaders have been arrested, but we emerged stronger from all these coups yesterday as we do today, and we will continue to do so in the future. Ah, let me give you one more bad news; a bad news for you, but a very good news for the Turkish nation and for this country. The regional governor tells you, 'There is no need for democracy here; there is a need for benevolent monarchies here,' and you follow him, you cannot even issue a condemnation message. Let us say this to both the regional governor and to all of you, right to your faces. We abolished the sultanate one hundred and four years ago; no one can speak against democracy and the republic in this country, and no one will."
AKBAŞOĞLU: YOU ARE TRYING TO DUMP THE DISGRACES YOU EXPERIENCE WITHIN YOURSELVES ONTO THE AK PARTY AK Party Group Deputy Chair Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu, stating that the decision regarding absolute nullity is entirely the result of CHP's own internal strife, said: "This issue is a result of CHP's internal strife and conflict. If the CHP has set a trap within itself, it has; this has nothing to do with the government, with the AK Party. Saying 'Look at the conjurer,' you should have stopped your own mayors who emptied the people's money, the municipal treasuries, and the coffers of public institutions and organizations. You should have referred them to disciplinary action, held them accountable and cleansed yourselves, but you are not doing that. You are trying to dump the disgraces you experience within yourselves onto the AK Party. The stomach of this nation is full; the nation rejects this perception management and calls you to cleanse yourselves, to purify, and to hold thieves accountable."
Upon Akbaşoğlu's speech, Günaydın requested the floor and reacted: "Now, Mr. Akbaşoğlu, of course, shouts at the top of his voice but cannot get enough support from his own group; when you raise your voice, you clap, of course, you forgot that. Mehmet Emin Akbaşoğlu invites us to cleanse ourselves, let's leave this rhetoric aside. I invite him to a duel: I am Gökhan Günaydın, and he is Mehmet Emin Akbaşoğlu; let us both declare our assets together and set an example. Are you in, Mehmet Emin Akbaşoğlu? Come on, let's see together who can cleanse and who cannot. Your assets five years before entering Parliament as a deputy, all your subsequent assets; you and me. I am not accusing you, but politics is done not with rhetoric but by taking such a stance. Not just you and me, but 600 deputies should do this so that we can see. Secondly, by Allah, there is no need to give you a long answer."
"THIEF" POLEMIC BETWEEN AK PARTY AND CHP Akbaşoğlu also responded to Günaydın's words, pointing to the decision of the Ankara Regional Court of Justice 36th Civil Chamber. Drawing attention to the fact that both the plaintiffs and defendants in that decision are CHP members, Akbaşoğlu said: "The plaintiffs and defendants of this decision are both CHP members. Look, you cannot achieve anything by slandering. You cannot dump your own attributes onto us by interpreting and exploiting the word of truth in a false manner. On this matter, all our friends and all of us are people who have submitted their asset declarations to the relevant institutions in due time. Look, how they try to cover up clear theft and shamelessness incidents."
Upon the word "theft," Günaydın reacted from his seat, replying to Akbaşoğlu: "I return the words 'theft and shamelessness' to you. I return both 'thief' and 'shameless' to you! Come on, if you are a man, do as I do, come on. Who are you to talk to me about thieves and shameless people, ha! Who are you? Who are you? Who are you to talk to me about thieves and shameless people?"
{"text":"
CHP Şanlıurfa Deputy Mahmut Tanal also said that Akbaşoğlu became a civil servant without taking the KPSS exam and stole rights, stating, \"Mr. Chairperson, anyone who becomes a civil servant without taking the exam is a thief. Can you explain how you became a civil servant without taking the exam? You have stolen the rights of people who took the KPSS exam. Let him explain how he became a civil servant. He moved from the Private Secretariat to civil service, oh what exam?\"
ADAN: REGARDLESS OF PARTY AFFILIATION, THIS NATION WILL CALL THEM TO ACCOUNT TBMM Deputy Speaker Celal Adan interjected, saying, \"We are a great nation that says 'Allah,' believes in the unity of our people, believes in democracy, is grateful to Almighty Allah despite having a monthly salary of 30,000 lira, and does not rebel. I will tell you something sincerely. The thief will be pulled through the wringer, don't worry. Whoever is the thief, they will answer for it. Whoever has robbed the state, whoever has laid hands on the orphan's money, they will definitely account for it. Let it be bitter poison, but I strongly state: This nation will call them to account, regardless of which party they belong to.\"
AKBAŞOĞLU: THERE IS NO QUESTION OF EVEN THE SLIGHTEST ISSUE BEING ON THE AGENDA THAT CONTRADICTS LAW AND LEGISLATION AK Party member Akbaşoğlu, regarding the allegations, stated, \"Mr. Chairperson, since a matter concerning my private secretariat was brought up, I would like to clarify it. Within the framework of Law No. 657 on Civil Servants, my appointment as private secretariat director on an exceptional civil service basis according to the regulations is written in my resume. As a result, on this issue, legally, lawfully, my appointment was made in accordance with the law applicable to all our citizens, through exceptional civil service as a private secretariat director; this is clearly stated in my resume. There is no question of even the slightest issue being on the agenda that contradicts law and legislation. I also return the accusation of theft made on that basis to them.\"
After the speeches of the group deputy chairs, discussions on the group proposals of political parties began. Before the vote on the proposal submitted by the Yeni Yol group for the evaluation of justice in sentencing and execution laws, no quorum was found in the roll call conducted upon request. TBMM Deputy Speaker Adan, who adjourned the General Assembly for 15 minutes, closed the session to convene again on Wednesday, June 3, at 14:00 to discuss bills and other matters from committees in order, as no quorum was found in the subsequent roll call.\"}