The Panel titled as ‘The Constitution 1921 on its 100th Anniversary’ has been held by Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University and the Directorate of Ataturk Research Centre on the 22nd December 2021 at AYBU Faculty of Law. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yüksel Özgen, the Head of Directorate of Ataturk Research Centre, was a moderator at the Panel.
Prof. Dr. Hasan Tahsin Fendoğlu, from Baskent University – Faculty of Law, gave a presentation on ‘the Constitution 1921 in Turkish Constitutionalism’; Dr. Zeki Eraslan, from Ataturk Culture, Language and History High Authority, gave another presentation on ‘the Constitution that Carried Turkey to the Republic: the Constitution 1921’ and finally Research Assistant of AYBU Faculty of Law from Constitution Law Department, Hatice Cemre Akyilmaz presented the topic ‘Limitation of Power in the Constitution 1921’.
Prof. Dr. Hasan Tahsin Fendoğlu explained that the story of Turkish constitutionalism began with the laws of Mehmed the Conqueror. He further implied that the Constitution 1921 had a special importance as a civil constitution in this constitutionalism story. And this constitution came to the fore with the importance it devoted to local governments in accordance with the conditions of the era in which it was made.
In his presentation, Dr. Zeki Eraslan emphasized that Turkish constitutionalism started with the Tanzimat Period and he added the reflections of the free debate, right to vote and stand for election and democracy practice gained in this process could be observed in period of the Constitution 1921.
Res. Assist. Hatice Cemre Akyilmaz stated in her presentation that the parliamentary government system was implemented during the Constitution 1921 period, however some aspects approaching the parliamentary system were observed in practice.
