Republicanism.

Definition

Republicanism established that sovereignty belongs to the nation as a whole, exercised through elected representatives. It was a direct rejection of the Ottoman monarchical system, in which political authority derived from the sultan's person and the theocratic legitimacy that underpinned it.

The principle went beyond simply replacing a sultan with a president. It meant that political authority derived from the people and was accountable to them. The Grand National Assembly, established in 1920 during the War of Independence, became the supreme organ of state power, and the institutional expression of this idea.

Historical context

The Ottoman system concentrated vast authority in the sultan, who served simultaneously as political sovereign and, through the caliphate, as the spiritual leader of the Muslim world. While the system was sophisticated and included advisory bodies, ultimate power rested with the throne. Succession was hereditary, and the state's legitimacy was framed in religious terms.

The Young Turk period (1908–1918) experimented with constitutional monarchy. The Committee of Union and Progress reinstated the 1876 constitution and established a parliament, but the experiment was short-lived and overshadowed by war. The constitutional monarchy had weakened the sultan's absolute authority without establishing a viable alternative.

The War of Independence (1919–1923) created a new political reality. The Grand National Assembly in Ankara functioned as a rival government to the sultan's administration in Istanbul. By the time the war was won, the Assembly had already demonstrated that effective governance could exist without a monarch.

Key reforms

The implementation of republicanism proceeded through a series of decisive acts. The sultanate was abolished on November 1, 1922, separating the political office of sultan from the religious office of caliph. The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed on October 29, 1923, with Mustafa Kemal as its first president. The caliphate was abolished on March 3, 1924, severing the last institutional link between the state and the Ottoman dynasty.

The Constitution of 1924 codified these changes. The Grand National Assembly was established as the supreme organ of sovereignty, exercising legislative power on behalf of the nation. The president was elected by the Assembly, not by hereditary succession. Written laws, defined procedures, and constitutional limits on power replaced the personal authority of the sultan.

Modern relevance

Republicanism remains the most broadly accepted of the six principles. Across the Turkish political spectrum, virtually no significant movement advocates a return to monarchy. The principle's emphasis on popular sovereignty and institutional governance has become a foundational assumption of Turkish political life.

However, the 2017 constitutional referendum, which transitioned Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system, sparked debate about whether concentrated executive power is consistent with the republican ideal. Critics argued that vesting extensive authority in a single office weakened the institutional checks that republicanism was meant to establish. Supporters contended that a strong executive was necessary for effective governance and still derived its legitimacy from popular election.

The principle continues to frame discussions about democratic governance, the balance of power between institutions, and the relationship between the executive, legislature, and judiciary. A century after the republic's founding, the meaning of republicanism is still being debated, not whether sovereignty belongs to the people, but how that sovereignty is best exercised.