Why did Inönü say that historic sentence! Nothing has changed in 69 years...

Following the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and over 100 others, the words spoken by CHP's second leader İsmet İnönü in 1956 in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) against the Democrat Party (DP) government, 'We came from absolutism to today, but you are going from today to absolutism,' have become a topic of discussion.

Inönü had uttered this sentence when the DP government wanted to ban the opposition from holding open-air meetings...

Democracy has been suspended once again in Turkey!

IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is considered a certain candidate for the CHP's presidential nomination, first had his diploma invalidated, and then a detention warrant was issued against him. İmamoğlu, who was detained due to two investigations against him, said, 'I entrust myself to the nation' before being taken into custody.

Following İmamoğlu's detention, the words of İsmet İnönü as opposition leader to the members of the Democrat Party 'We came from absolutism to today, but you are going from today to absolutism' came to mind.

The date was June 27, 1956. That day, the Law on Meetings and Demonstration Marches was being discussed in Parliament. The DP government wanted to ban the opposition from holding open-air meetings outside of the election period. The majority in Parliament was held by the DP. The discussions were very tense.

CHP leader İsmet İnönü, Hürriyet Party leader Fevzi Lütfi Karaosmanoğlu, and Republican Nation Party (CMP) leader Osman Bölükbaşı were leveling harsh criticisms against the DP's oppressive practices. During the debate, Karaosmanoğlu of the Hürriyet Party was expelled from the session.

In response, the CHP members, along with the Hürriyet Party and CMP deputies, collectively walked out of the General Assembly. The legislative proposal, discussed in the absence of the opposition, was approved by 281 votes to 2.

It was in this atmosphere that İsmet İnönü turned to the DP benches and 'Let us know the difference between us: We came from absolutism to today, while you are going from today to absolutism' he uttered these words.

Inönü, the architect of Turkey's transition to a multi-party system, stated that banning gatherings outside of election periods was unconstitutional, and argued that the Adnan Menderes government, which did not want the growing economic crisis to be discussed, was trying to hide the real problems.

Prime Minister Menderes replied to Inönü by calling out: 'Pasha, Pasha; aren't you the one who established the Independence Tribunals? What democracy are you talking about?' he responded.

Inönü answered these accusations by saying, 'Yes, I am the one who had those Independence Tribunals established; but I came from there to here, while you are going from here to there.'

Menderes's claim was that the purpose of the meetings and demonstrations organized by the opposition in the country was to 'weaken authority.' Asking, 'In which country in the world are meetings organized every week, unspeakable words spoken, provocations initiated, and the goal set to change the government without an election?' Menderes was also summarizing his approach to democracy.

Menderes was, in a sense, confessing the level of authoritarianism by saying, 'We are not obligated to please a ruthless opposition and an immoderate press.'

Inönü's warning about 'absolutism' had found great resonance in the newspapers of the period. The Cumhuriyet newspaper reported on Inönü's outburst, which began with 'Let us know the difference between us...', in its issue dated June 28, 1956, and announced it to its readers. The Milliyet newspaper also emphasized that the law was approved without opposition.

This Law on Meetings and Demonstration Marches, enacted by the DP, was evaluated by many writers as a black mark contrary to the democratic order. For instance, influential journalists of the era emphasized that the new law effectively imposed a 'ban on the opposition from speaking, except during election periods.' In some columns, referencing Inönü's words, it was argued that the country should not be allowed to return to the days of tyranny.

Inönü's historic words in Parliament brought opposition parties closer together. Immediately after the law was passed, the CHP leadership announced that it would continue to fight to protect the democratic regime despite the pressures from the DP. Other opposition factions also strongly supported this statement. This alliance was named the 'Freedom Front' at the time.

While the opposition's alliance efforts were ongoing, the Menderes government decided to hold early elections in 1957.

Those who recalled this statement by Inönü commented that 'nothing has changed in the 70 years that have passed' following the suspension of democracy by the political power once again on March 19, 2025.