The short answer
The Republic of Türkiye was proclaimed on October 29, 1923. The Grand National Assembly (TBMM) passed a constitutional change that evening at 20.30. It was Law No. 364. Its first article stated that sovereignty belongs to the nation without condition. It also defined the form of government of the Turkish State as a republic.
The same night, the deputies elected Mustafa Kemal Pasha as the first president. This article follows how that day unfolded, what the law said, and how Turkey marks the date now.
Where it happened
The republic was proclaimed in Ankara, in the First TBMM building in the Ulus district. Today that building is the War of Independence Museum (Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi).
If you visit Ankara, you can stand in the place where the vote took place. The museum is run by the TBMM.
Why a new government was needed
The road to October 29 began with a political jam. On October 27, 1923, the government led by Fethi Okyar resigned.
The system at the time made forming a new cabinet hard. The Assembly had to elect ministers one by one. That requirement sat at the center of the problem in October 1923.
The republic was the answer. A president would choose a prime minister, and the prime minister would pick the other ministers. The Assembly would then vote on the whole government.
Timeline
- October 27, 1923: The Fethi Okyar government resigned.
- Evening of October 28, 1923: At a dinner in Çankaya, Mustafa Kemal told his friends the republic would be proclaimed the next day.
- Before the vote: Mustafa Kemal and İsmet Pasha prepared the draft constitutional amendment together.
- October 29, 1923: The Halk Fırkası (People’s Party) group accepted the amendment. It then went to the Assembly floor.
- October 29, 1923, 20.30: Law 364 was accepted and the republic was proclaimed.
- Evening of October 29, 1923: Mustafa Kemal was elected the first president by all 158 deputies who voted.
- October 30, 1923: İsmet İnönü formed the first government of the republic.
- April 19, 1925: The law making October 29 a national holiday was accepted.
- October 29, 1933: The tenth anniversary was celebrated, and Atatürk delivered his Tenth Year Speech.
The night before: the Çankaya dinner
On the evening of October 28, Mustafa Kemal met friends for dinner at Çankaya. There he told them that the republic would be proclaimed the next day.
He did not work alone on the text. Mustafa Kemal and İsmet Pasha prepared the draft of the constitutional amendment together. The party group came first. On October 29, the amendment was accepted in the Halk Fırkası group, and only then did the Assembly debate it.
The vote in the Assembly
The session on October 29 is recorded in the TBMM minutes. Several details from that record matter.
Yunus Nadi Bey, chairman of the Constitution Committee (Kanun-ı Esasi Encümeni), defended the amendment on behalf of the committee.
The articles and the whole text were voted on by show of hands. The law as a whole passed unanimously. The time of acceptance was 20.30 in the evening.
What Law 364 actually says
The legal basis of the proclamation is Law No. 364. It changed several articles of the 1921 Teşkilât-ı Esasiye Kanunu.
Three points stand out:
- Article 1 says sovereignty belongs to the nation unconditionally. It defines the Turkish State’s form of government as a republic.
- The president is elected by the TBMM from among its own members for one election term. The president may be re-elected.
- The government works in a new way. The president picks the prime minister from among the deputies. The prime minister names the other ministers. The cabinet is then presented to the Assembly for approval.
This third point answers the problem behind the October 1923 government crisis. Ministers no longer had to be elected one at a time.
The first presidential election
Right after the amendment passed, the Assembly held a secret ballot. All 158 deputies who took part voted for Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha, deputy for Ankara. He became the first president of the republic.
After the election, Mustafa Kemal spoke to the Assembly. He ended his speech with these words: “Türkiye Cumhuriyeti mesut, muvaffak ve muzaffer olacaktır.” In English, that is roughly: “The Republic of Türkiye will be happy, successful and victorious.”
Details you won’t find in guidebooks
- Article 2 of Law 364 is rarely quoted. It set the religion of the state as Islam and its official language as Turkish.
- Three cheers in the chamber. Mehmed Emin Bey, deputy for Karahisar-ı Şarki, called on the Assembly to shout “Long live the Republic.” The minutes record that it was shouted three times.
- The vote counters. Three deputies were assigned to count the ballots in the first presidential election: Fethi Bey of Istanbul, Feyzi Bey of Diyarbakır and Yahya Galib Bey of Kırşehir.
- 101 cannon shots. That night the Assembly decided that 101 cannon shots would be fired to celebrate the proclamation and the election of the president.
- No holiday yet. In 1923 there was no holiday law. October 29 was accepted as a national holiday only on April 19, 1925.
The next day: the first government
On October 30, 1923, İsmet İnönü formed the first government of the republic. He held the title of prime minister (Başvekil).
This step followed the new rules in Law 364. The president chose the prime minister. The prime minister then built the cabinet. The cabinet went to the Assembly for approval.
Republic Day today
Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) is held every year on October 29. It commemorates the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923.
Celebrations include parades, concerts, school events and fireworks.
Here is the part that affects your plans. Under Law 2429, the holiday starts at 13.00 on October 28. It covers all of October 29. That makes a day and a half. If you are in Turkey around those dates, expect the day-off schedule to begin the afternoon before.
Republic Day in 1933: a photo and a speech
The tenth anniversary was marked on October 29, 1933. A photograph from that celebration shows four men. From left to right, they are Fevzi Çakmak, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Kâzım Özalp and İsmet İnönü.
On the same day, Atatürk gave his Tenth Year Speech. In it he called Republic Day the “greatest holiday” (en büyük bayram).
FAQ
What is the date of Republic Day in Turkey?
Republic Day falls on October 29 every year. It marks the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye on October 29, 1923.
What does Republic Day mean in Turkey?
It commemorates the day the Grand National Assembly in Ankara declared the republic as Turkey’s form of government and elected Mustafa Kemal Pasha as its first president.
How long is the Republic Day holiday?
Under Law 2429 the holiday starts at 13.00 on October 28 and covers all of October 29. That makes a day and a half.
Where was the republic proclaimed?
It was proclaimed in the First Grand National Assembly building in the Ulus district of Ankara. Today the building is the War of Independence Museum.
When did October 29 become a national holiday?
There was no holiday law in 1923. The law that made October 29 a national holiday was accepted on April 19, 1925.
Sources
- TBMM — Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi tbmm.gov.tr
- Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı — 1923 Kronolojisi ktb.gov.tr
- Belleten — Türkiye Cumhuriyetinin İlanı, Atatürk Devrimlerinin Başlangıcı belleten.gov.tr
- TBMM — 364 Sayılı Kanunun Özgün Metni www5.tbmm.gov.tr
- Anadolu Ajansı — Cumhuriyet’in İlanı ve İlk Cumhurbaşkanlığı Konuşması aa.com.tr
- TBMM Zabıt Ceridesi — 29 Ekim 1923, 43. Birleşim www5.tbmm.gov.tr
- Vikipedi — 29 Ekim Cumhuriyet Bayramı tr.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia — Republic Day (Turkey) en.wikipedia.org
- TBMM — 2429 Sayılı Ulusal Bayram ve Genel Tatiller Hakkında Kanun www5.tbmm.gov.tr
Image: 10th Anniversary Speech.jpg — Republic of Turkey, Public domain
