Gender of the Constituent Power of the Turkish Constitution of 1921

Gender of the Constituent Power of the Turkish Constitution of 1921

Zülfiye YILMAZ & Barış BAHÇECI

According to the mainstream narrative in the scholarly debate in Turkey, the Turkish Constitution of 1921 envisaged a secular, modern and consequently more democratic social order through the abolition of the monarchy and the caliphate. The strong legitimacy of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA)…

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The Meaning and Significance of the Grand National Assembly According to the Turkish Constitution of 1921

The Meaning and Significance of the Grand National Assembly According to the Turkish Constitution of 1921

Oğuzhan Bekir KESKIN

The Turkish War of Liberation (1919-1922) is unique in several senses. Probably the most important aspect of it is that it was fought under a constitutional government that was formed for that very purpose. The formation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) in 1920 and the Constitution’s enactment in 1921 are the landmarks of this struggle…

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Does the Government System of the 1921 Constitution Qualify as an Assembly Government System? The Controversial Government System of the 1921 Constitution

Does the Government System of the 1921 Constitution Qualify as an Assembly Government System? The Controversial Government System of the 1921 Constitution

Mert DUYGUN & Işıl KURNAZ

Within the harsh conditions of the “National Liberation” period, 1919 – 1923, the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), calling itself “the only and true representative of the nation”, enacted the Constitution of 1921. The system of government prescribed in this Constitution was considered to be a conventional assembly government system…

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The First Big Constitutional Breakthrough in Ottoman-Turkish Constitutionalism: The 1921 Constitution

The First Big Constitutional Breakthrough in Ottoman-Turkish Constitutionalism: The 1921 Constitution

Demirhan Burak ÇELİK

The 1921 Constitution, adopted by the first Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) on 20 January 1921, symbolizes the first big constitutional breakthrough in Ottoman-Turkish constitutionalism. From its chosen name to its very last provision, this constitution reflects a different approach in Turkey’s constitutional history…

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The Turkish Constitution of 1921: An Assessment of the “Double Constitution Period”

The Turkish Constitution of 1921: An Assessment of the “Double Constitution Period”

Nilay ARAT & Aslı TOPUKCU

One of the most significant characteristics of the 1921 Constitution period is the presumption among many that the 1876 Constitution (Kanun-i Esasi) remained in force. This blog post aims to set forth the reasons and various effects of the so-called “double-constitution period”, and criticize this presumption…

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Guest Editors’ Introduction: Symposium on the Centenary of 1921 Constitution: Hundred Years of Constitutional Transformation in Turkey

Guest Editors’ Introduction: Symposium on the Centenary of 1921 Constitution: Hundred Years of Constitutional Transformation in Turkey

Serkan YOLCU & Barış BAHÇECİ

On 20 January 2021, Turkey celebrated the hundredth anniversary of its 1921 Constitution (Teşkilat-ı Esasiye Kanunu). Among its several peculiarities, it was the first republican constitution of modern Turkey, enacted by the first Grand National Assembly of Turkey/GNAT…

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