'Bahçeli City Square' renamed Atatürk Square, meeting turns chaotic: MHP and AKP groups walk out

The November ordinary meeting of the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Council was held under the chairmanship of Manisa Metropolitan Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek. Following the opening speech by Mayor Zeyrek, the motions submitted to the council agenda by the groups were read.

In the motion submitted by Salihli Mayor Mazlum Nurlu, it was stated: “The square located in Zafer Neighborhood was named Devlet Bahçeli City Square by the decision of the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Council in 2023. In our veteran parliament, MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, in his group speech on October 22, 2024, invited the terrorist leader and baby killer Öcalan to speak at the TBMM, implying his pardon.

It is unacceptable for the terrorist leader, who caused the martyrdom of nearly 50 thousand of our citizens, soldiers, police, and security forces, and the wounding of tens of thousands of our people, to be invited to the Veteran Parliament. It is impossible to remain silent about this.

In the face of these developments, 3,198 petition applications have been made to our municipality to remove the name ‘Devlet Bahçeli City Square’ in our district and designate the square as ‘Atatürk City Square,’ and the petitions are still ongoing.

These were delivered by hand to the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality. In line with the demands of our fellow citizens living in our district, I respectfully submit and request that our demands to change the name of the currently existing ‘Devlet Bahçeli City Square’ to ‘Atatürk City Square’ be included in the agenda of the November council meeting and accepted on behalf of the people of Salihli,” the statement read.

MHP AND AKP GROUPS WALKED OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY

MHP Group Deputy Chairman Mehmet Palabıyık and AKP Group Deputy Chairman Berk Mersinli reacted to the proposal to change the name of the Salihli Devlet Bahçeli City Square to Atatürk City Square, stating that they would leave the assembly if the proposal was accepted for the agenda.

MHP Group Chairman Mehmet Palabıyık said, “There is nothing more natural than the appointment of a trustee to a mayor associated with terrorism, regardless of which party they belong to. We stand by our state's stance against terrorism. As always, we are witnessing yet another political game today by hiding behind our Great Leader, our Başbuğ, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. We see the act of pitting the name of the leader of the Turkic World, Mr. Devlet Bahçeli, against Atatürk while removing it from the square as an act lacking political decency, and we vehemently reject this move.

Is this name change within the knowledge of your Chairman, Mr. Özgür Özel? Furthermore, the names of the late Bülent Ecevit and Süleyman Demirel were accepted unanimously by this council in the past, when the Nationalist Movement Party was in power. If you are thinking of putting this item on the agenda and voting on it now, we do not accept the decision, and as a result of our group decision, we are forced to leave this assembly,” he said.

AKP Group Chairman Berk Mersinli also took the floor, stating that the decision would be a very wrong one and that this attitude should be abandoned.

Upon the acceptance of the proposal to be included in the agenda, the MHP and AKP groups walked out of the assembly.

Manisa Metropolitan Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek criticized the AKP and MHP groups for walking out of the assembly, saying, “Talking about political decency and then walking out of the assembly is a disrespect to the people of Manisa who elected them to this council. Defending the rights of the citizens who voted for them is our duty, just as it is our duty to defend the rights of every citizen.”

Alaşehir Mayor Ahmet Öküzcüoğlu also made harsh criticisms against the MHP and AKP regarding the democratic opening process.

AGENDA ITEM ACCEPTED

Following the vote, the Salihli Municipality's request to change the name of the Devlet Bahçeli City Square to Atatürk City Square, which was included in the agenda, was put to a vote. The agenda item was accepted unanimously.