What did Atatürk say in his first speech as President?

A century has passed since the proclamation of the Republic, which established the principle of “Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation” in the governance of Turkey and crowned democracy.

Following the victory of the National Struggle, the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk turned the face of the new Turkish state toward modernization and democracy.

After Ankara became the seat of government in Turkey, it became necessary to clearly define the name of the existing regime and to elect the head of the new state. Until that day, the duty of head of state had been carried out by Mustafa Kemal Pasha as the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

Some foreign countries were also demanding a clearer definition of the new state regime in Turkey for the ratification of the Treaty of Lausanne. At this time, the resignation of the Executive Council and the inability to form a cabinet that would win the confidence of the Assembly necessitated an urgent solution to this problem.

'WE WILL PROCLAIM THE REPUBLIC TOMORROW'

On October 25, 1923, a crisis emerged with the resignation of the government. This event gave Atatürk the opportunity he had been waiting for to proclaim the republic. Upon the failure to form a government by the evening of October 28, 1923, Mustafa Kemal Pasha announced his idea to his friends at the Çankaya Mansion by saying, “We will proclaim the republic tomorrow.”

That night, Atatürk, together with İsmet İnönü, prepared the draft law that amended certain articles of the 1921 Constitution.

‘THE STATE OF TURKEY IS A REPUBLIC’

According to the bulletin in the Anadolu Agency Archive, the Assembly convened on Monday, October 29, 1923, at 18:00 under the chairmanship of İsmet İnönü. The proposal submitted by the Constitutional Commission, which included the constitutional amendment, was added to the agenda for urgent discussion.

The draft submitted for consideration included the following provisions:

“Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation. The form of administration of national affairs is based on the principle of the people managing their own destiny. The State of Turkey is a republic.

The religion of the State of Turkey is Islam, and its official language is Turkish.

The State of Turkey is governed by the Grand National Assembly.

The President of the Republic of Turkey is elected by the National Assembly from among its own members for the duration of one legislative term during the General Assembly meeting. The President continues his duty until his successor is elected. The outgoing president may be re-elected.

The President of the Republic of Turkey is the head of the Turkish State. In this capacity, he chairs the Grand National Assembly and the Council of Ministers when he deems it necessary.

The Chairman of the Council is selected by the President from among the members of the Assembly. Other ministers are also selected by the Chairman of the Council from among the deputies. The list of the Council is submitted to the Grand National Assembly for approval by the President.”

SOUNDS OF 'LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC' AND APPLAUSE…

Speaking on behalf of the commission, Yunus Nadi Bey recalled the events that took place until the Armistice of Mudros and expressed the necessity of proclaiming the republic. Later, Vasıf Bey took the podium and praised the republic.

Afterward, Eyüp Sabri Hoca Efendi requested that the session continue with the election of the president without delay.

Following the speeches, the bill was accepted at 20:30 with the votes of all 158 members present at the session. The proclamation of the Republic was met with shouts of “Long live the Republic” and applause.

After the proclamation of the Republic, the presidential election was held. In the secret ballot, Gazi Mustafa Kemal, receiving the votes of all 158 deputies, was elected by the TBMM as the first president of the new Turkish state.

The address of Mustafa Kemal Pasha, who took the podium with the title of President, to the Assembly was recorded in the TBMM records as follows:

“Gentlemen; our nation, the Turkish nation, which has been subjected to injustice and oppression in the East for centuries, was thought to be devoid of the high capabilities it actually possesses by birth.

The capability, talent, and comprehension that our nation has demonstrated in practice in recent years have proven very well how ignorant and how far from seeing the truth, and how easily deceived by appearances, those who thought poorly of it were.

Our nation will be able to show the qualities and value it possesses to the civilized world much more easily with the new name of the government. The Republic of Turkey will prove with its works that it is worthy of the place it holds among the states of the world.

Friends; the victory that the Turkish nation, which created this high regime, has won in the last four years will show itself to be several times greater from now on. I, in order to be worthy of this trust and confidence I have gained, feel obliged to express a need that I consider very important. That need is the continuation of the love, trust, and support that your high assembly has shown toward my person. Only in this way, and with the help of God, do I hope that I will be able to perform the duties you have given and will give me in the best possible way.

I will always work by holding onto the hands of my esteemed friends very sincerely and firmly, never for a moment seeing myself as separate from them. Always relying on the love and trust of the nation, we will move forward together. The Republic of Turkey will be happy, successful, and victorious.”

The Turkish people celebrated the proclamation of the Republic on the night of October 29 and on October 30. With the decree published on October 26, 1924, it was decided that the proclamation of the Republic would be celebrated with a 101-gun salute and organized events.

In line with the decision, the events on October 29, 1924, became the beginning of the celebrations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed that October 29 be a national holiday with a bill on February 2, 1925. The proposal was examined by the Assembly's Constitutional Commission and was finalized on April 18.

With the acceptance of the proposal in the TBMM on April 19, October 29 has been celebrated as a “National Holiday” since 1925.

News Source: AA