October 29 Republic Day

Republic Day is the anniversary of October 29, 1923, when the Turkish Republic was officially proclaimed. This date marks the establishment of the new state system, whose name—Republic—and institutional framework were legally defined, clearly grounding sovereignty in the nation. Today, it is commemorated annually on October 29 with official ceremonies and public events.

The process leading to the proclamation of the Republic began with the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye in Ankara on April 23, 1920, initiating the parliamentary government era. It became more distinct with the abolition of the sultanate on November 1, 1922. On October 29, the Assembly convened to resolve a government crisis that had persisted for several days. It swiftly debated the Republic proposal first within its party group and then in the full Assembly, adopting it by the votes of all 158 deputies present. With this decision, the parliamentary government system was replaced by a cabinet system in which the President of the Republic appoints a Prime Minister, who in turn forms the Council of Ministers. Following the adoption of the decision, elections were held and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became the first President of the Republic of Türkiye.

Atatürk at the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of the Proclamation of the Republic(AA)

The tradition of celebrating Republic Day began on October 26, 1924, with a decree instituting 101-gun salutes and formal ceremonies; the program of October 29, 1924, marked the first nationwide anniversary. On the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Grand National Assembly adopted a resolution on April 19, 1925, granting October 29 the status of “National Holiday.” Preparations for the tenth anniversary in 1933 were extended over three days; parades, exhibitions, radio broadcasts, and public podiums were standardized under the supervision of a High Commission attached to the Prime Ministry and provincial committees. The “Tenth Anniversary March” was performed collectively across the country; on the same day, Atatürk delivered his Tenth Anniversary Speech at the Ankara Hippodrome, presenting a general assessment and key objectives of the first decade to the public.

Historical Background

The process leading to the proclamation of the Republic began with the opening of the Grand National Assembly on April 23, 1920. The new administrative structure established in Ankara assumed responsibility for directing and managing the National Struggle. Following the Mudanya Armistice and the Lausanne negotiations, the abolition of the sultanate on November 1, 1922, clearly signaled the transition to a republican regime.

The Opening of the Grand National Assembly on April 23 and the National Struggle Period

After the occupation of Istanbul led to the dissolution of the last Ottoman Parliament, the Grand National Assembly opened in Ankara on April 23, 1920. This Assembly was composed of representatives from the dissolved Ottoman Chamber of Deputies and the Defense of Rights organizations. The system of parliamentary government it established directly linked executive and judicial powers to itself. Mustafa Kemal Pasha served simultaneously as Commander-in-Chief and President of the Assembly. During the years of the National Struggle from 1920 to 1922, the direction of the war and state administration were largely conducted through this body.

The First Assembly Building in Ankara During the National Struggle(AA)

Abolition of the Sultanate

After the Mudanya Armistice, active hostilities ceased and negotiations for the Treaty of Lausanne began. In response to demands from both Ankara and Istanbul for delegations to participate in the Lausanne talks, the Ankara Government abolished the sultanate on November 1, 1922. From that date onward, the sultanate ended; the Grand National Assembly in Ankara, through its President and the Council of Ministers, continued to manage state affairs. The caliphate, which held no executive authority, was preserved after the abolition of the sultanate, and Abdülmecid Efendi, the heir apparent, was elected caliph by the Assembly. During this period, the caliphate and the Assembly in Ankara coexisted; the legal and political framework of the presidency was publicly debated.

The Process of Proclaiming the Republic

Stagnation in governance and ministerial resignations between October 24 and 27 triggered on the evening of October 28 a constitutional process leading to the proclamation of the Republic.

October 24: Vacancy of the Ministry of the Interior and the Return of Pashas to the Army

On October 24, Prime Minister Fethi Bey resigned from the Ministry of the Interior, citing the need to focus on prime ministerial duties. On the same day, military commanders who were members of the Assembly—Kâzım (Karabekir) Pasha, Ali Fuat (Cebesoy) Pasha, and Cevat (Çobanlı) Pasha—were appointed by their own requests as Inspectors of the First, Second, and Third Armies respectively.

October 25: Selection of New Government Members

In accordance with the 1921 Constitution, the People’s Party Group nominated candidates for the vacant positions of Minister of the Interior and Second Vice President of the Assembly before any vote was held in the Assembly. In this nomination, the majority of the group selected Rauf Bey and Sabit Bey, supported by the opposition, to replace Yusuf Kemal Bey (nominated for Second Vice President) and Ferit Bey (nominated for Minister of the Interior), who were backed by Mustafa Kemal Pasha. These developments reinforced the perception in Ankara that the opposition within the Assembly had grown stronger.

A Scene from Assembly Debates(AA)

October 26–27: Resignation of the Council of Ministers

The resignations of Prime Minister Fethi Bey and all ministers—except Fevzi Pasha—were accepted, with the justification that the parliamentary government system, in which the Prime Minister and ministers were individually elected by the Assembly, created problems of cohesion and stability. It was announced that the new government would be elected on Monday, October 29. This interval pushed the executive crisis into a phase that made a constitutional solution unavoidable.

October 28: “Tomorrow We Shall Proclaim the Republic”

As Atatürk recounted in his Nutuk, on the evening of October 28 he declared, “Tomorrow we shall proclaim the Republic!” and outlined the procedure to be followed the next day. According to this plan, speeches would be made within the party group to prevent the formation of a government, thereby leaving the resolution of the crisis to Gazi; it was anticipated that Kemalettin Sami Pasha would formally propose the motion. On the evening of October 28, Mustafa Kemal prepared the draft law concerning the establishment of the Republic, as he later described in his Nutuk:^【1】  

“That night, the friends who were with me left early. Only İsmet Pasha was a guest at Çankaya. After being alone with him, we prepared a draft law. In this draft, I revised the articles of the Constitution of January 20, 1921, concerning the form of the state:

I added to the end of Article One: ‘The form of government of the Turkish State is a Republic.’

I revised Article Three as follows: ‘The Turkish State is governed by the Grand National Assembly. The Assembly administers the executive branches of government through the Council of Ministers.’

In addition, Articles Eight and Nine, fundamental provisions of the Constitution, were revised and clarified as follows:

‘Article—The President of the Republic is elected by the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly from among its own members for a term of office. The presidency continues until a new President is elected. The former President may be re-elected.’

‘Article—The President of the Republic is the head of state. In this capacity, he presides over the Assembly and the Council of Ministers whenever necessary.’

‘Article—The President of the Republic selects the Prime Minister from among the members of the Assembly. The Prime Minister selects other ministers from among the members of the Assembly, and the President submits them all to the Assembly for approval. If the Assembly is not in session, approval is deferred until its next meeting.’

The Table at Çankaya Köşk Where Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha Said, “Gentlemen, tomorrow we shall proclaim the Republic.”(AA)

October 29, 1923: Constitutional Step and Assembly Proceedings

• Morning – Preparation of the Draft Text: A text proposing amendments to the 1921 Teşkilât-ı Esasiye was prepared; it began with the provision: “The form of government of the Turkish State is a Republic.”

• Afternoon – Party Group Meeting: The government crisis was discussed within the People’s Party Group. Mustafa Kemal Pasha was invited to present a solution.

• Evening – Opening of the Assembly: After an introduction by Yunus Nadi, it was agreed that the proposal be urgently debated, and it was decided that the discussion would take place in the same session.

• Evening (Encümen Session): The party group meeting concluded and the Assembly session began. The proposal was referred to the Constitutional Commission, which added the phrases “The religion of the Turkish State is Islam” and “The official language is Turkish.”

• Night – Voting and Adoption: The proposal was swiftly debated and adopted amid applause and cries of “Long live the Republic!” It was approved by 158 votes; no abstentions were recorded. It was noted that attendance was lower than in previous critical sessions, such as the Lausanne vote, with approximately 100 deputies absent.

• October 29 Night (Presidential Election): During the session, Mustafa Kemal Pasha was elected President of the Republic by unanimous vote of those present.

• October 30, 1923: The President appointed İsmet Pasha as Prime Minister and initiated the formation of the new cabinet.

• October 29–30 Night: The proclamation of the Republic was telegraphed to all corners of the country.

Hakimiyet-i-Milliye Newspaper, October 30, 1923(mcbu)

Political Context and Opposition Views

In the press and political circles of the time, opposition to the principle of the Republic was not total; rather, criticism focused on the timing and speed of the proclamation and the scope of powers granted to the President. The debate centered on whether the Republic was compatible with the principle of national sovereignty (democracy) and on the extent of the President’s authority. It is noted that what the opposition opposed was not the Republic itself, but fears of authoritarianism.

Objections Regarding Timing and Procedure

The proclamation of the Republic was carried out with such speed and timing that there was no opportunity for the opposition to voice objections; party discipline was strictly enforced. The Assembly debates were conducted “immediately” and “without delay,” and contemporary witnesses described the proclamation as “unexpected and sudden.”^【2】 

Opposition Remarks During the Commission Stage

Opposing votes were submitted to Article 11 of the draft by the deputies of Niğde (Hâzım Tepeyran), Bursa (Refet Canıtez), Balıkesir (Ahmet Süreyya Örgeevren), and Kırşehir (Ali Rıza).

Opposition and Level of Participation in the Assembly

No abstentions were recorded during the vote, but approximately 100 deputies were absent from the hall;^【3】  the decision was adopted by 158 votes. According to another source, 158 of the 291 members were present at the time of voting;^【4】  another source states that 158 of the 328 members voted “yes.”^【5】  Additionally, some sources note that the two-thirds majority required for constitutional amendments was not applied in this vote.

Political Context

The absence of several leading opposition figures from Ankara enabled the rapid advancement of the Assembly’s agenda. It is reported that Atatürk did not consider it necessary to invite all his associates in Ankara and acknowledged that some individuals outside Ankara, who had not been informed of the proclamation, felt offended.^【6】  In this context, Rauf Bey stated in a October 30 interview that the term “Republic” would only be meaningful if it respected the will of the people; while affirming his support for a republican administration, he criticized the haste of the proclamation and warned that such speed might lead to future problems.^【7】  

Kâzım Karabekir learned of the proclamation of the Republic on the morning of October 30 while in Trabzon; on the morning of October 31, he ordered a gun salute and organized an official ceremony. Expressing his satisfaction that the Republic had ended the idea of the caliphate and sultanate, he sent congratulatory telegrams to President Mustafa Kemal and Prime Minister İsmet Pasha.

However, he expressed his distress at not having been informed of the proclamation despite being both a deputy and a military commander. On the morning of November 10, he told journalists, citing information from Rauf Bey and Refet Pasha, that “a personal regime was being established under the name of the Republic” and that “the people and the press were being subjected to one form of repression after another.”^【8】 

Official Ceremonies and Celebrations

The tradition of celebrating Republic Day began on October 26, 1924, with a decree instituting 101-gun salutes and formal ceremonies; the program of October 29, 1924, marked the first nationwide anniversary. On the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Assembly adopted the regulation on April 19, 1925, granting October 29 the status of “National Holiday.”

Tenth Anniversary Celebrations

The tenth anniversary celebrations were extended over three days (October 29–31) by a regulation dated June 11, 1933; a High Commission under the Prime Ministry and provincial committees were established. The program included parades, lantern processions, exhibitions, radio broadcasts, city decorations, and “public podiums.” The symbol of the celebrations, the “Tenth Anniversary March” (lyrics by Faruk Nafiz Çamlıbel and Behçet Kemal Çağlar; music by Cemal Reşit Rey), was taught and performed collectively across the country; on October 29, 1933, it was sung together with the Independence March in public squares and broadcast on radio at 12:04.

Tenth Anniversary Celebrations, Cumhuriyet Newspaper(Gaste Archive) Tenth Anniversary Celebrations, Vakit Newspaper (Gaste Archive)

Tenth Anniversary Speech

During the ceremonies, Atatürk delivered his Tenth Anniversary Speech at the Ankara Hippodrome, marking the tenth year of the Republic of Türkiye. The speech provided a brief summary of the five years of the National Struggle and the first decade of the Republic; it lasted approximately six minutes.

October 29 Celebrations Today

Celebrations begin in the morning with an official ceremony at Anıtkabir. A delegation headed by the President lays a wreath at the mausoleum, observes a moment of silence, and listens to the Independence March; the official register at Anıtkabir is then signed. In provinces and districts, wreaths are laid at Atatürk monuments under the coordination of governors and district governors, congratulations are received, and protocol speeches are delivered. During the day, a special session is opened in the Grand National Assembly, where party groups and deputies deliver speeches on the meaning and importance of the day.

A Scene from October 29 Republic Day Events(AA)

October 29 is a full public holiday. On the morning of October 28, programs are organized in schools; parades involving garrison and police units are held in city centers; band concerts, scout and youth processions, and in some years, aerial flypasts are included in the program. In the evening, lantern processions, torchlight marches, concerts, and light and projection displays take place in main squares; official buildings, bridges, and symbolic structures are illuminated with red-and-white themes.