The Founding Of The Mudafaa-i Hukuk (Defenders Of Law) Party And The Making Of The Countrywide Heyet-i Merkeziye (Central Commission) Lists In The Light Of The Presidency Archieves

There were no political parties during the time of the foundation of the Turkish Parliament (Grand National Assembly of Turkey). Instead, Anadolu ve Rumeli Müdafaa-i Hukuk Cemiyeti (The Union for the Defence of Law in Anatolia and Rumelia) was efficient. At the beginning, there was total agreement among the representatives. But in time, difficulties arose in procuring and organising cooperative work. Votes were scattered even in simplest matters. The Parliament, thus, turned inactive in a time of great burdens. To solve the problem, in the mid-1920s, some political groups were founded. These groups began to surface after Mustafa Kemal publicised his agenda of Populism on 13th September 1920. These groups were Tesanüt (Solidarity) Group, İstiklâl (Freedom) Group, Müdafaa-i Hukuk (Defenders of Law) Society, Halk (People’s) Society, Islahat (Reformation) Group etc. Apart from them, there were also some nameless minor groups founded for special purposes. Recognising the impossibility of moving on by uniting or supoorting the groups at hand, Mustafa Kemal started to work on the foundation of a new group to establish unity and solidarity within the Parliament. After negotiating with the reformist members of the Parliament in groups in the presidency residence, Mustafa Kemal decided to form a stately political group with the name of Anadolu ve Rumeli Müdafaa-i Hukuk Group (The Defence of Law in Anatolia and Rumelia Group). Anadolu ve Rumeli Müdafaa-i Hukuk Group (The Defence of Law in Anatolia and Rumelia Group) was establihed on 10th May 1921. Also known as the First Group, the Defence of Law Group held its firts meeting at the Conference Hall of the Teachers’ School (Erkek Öğretmen Okulu) in the presence of its 133 members. Mustafa Kemal was elected the president of the group.

Keywords

Müdafaa-i Hukuk (Defence of Law), Büyük Millet Meclisi (Grand National Assembly), Groups