A victory for popular sovereignty

The Republic put the will of the people at the heart of government. In the final years of the Ottoman Empire, amid occupation and the threat of dismemberment, the Turkish people rose across Anatolia. The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, which opened on April 23, 1920, took the historic step of transferring sovereignty from the sultan to the people. The proclamation of the Republic on October 29, 1923, made that commitment enduring. It gave practical force to the principle of unconditional popular sovereignty by building modern institutions in law, education, the economy, culture, and public life.

The Republic is founded on secularism, the rule of law, national sovereignty, equal citizenship, and equal opportunity. Secularism protects freedom of belief and ensures the state treats its citizens equally. The rule of law protects equality before the law, justice, merit, and judicial independence. Progress in education, science, and production ranged from the village institutes and university reform to planned development and industrialization. The Turkish people's love of freedom and of their homeland lies at the center of these achievements.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's military leadership brought victories at Sakarya and in the Great Offensive. His political leadership turned independence into a republic. He made the principle that “sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the people” a foundation of the state, with a government carried out through elected representatives. İsmet İnönü stood with Atatürk through the fighting at İnönü and the negotiations at Lausanne. General Kâzım Karabekir embodied the resolve in eastern Anatolia, which took shape in Erzurum and was strengthened by victories on the Eastern Front. Commanders including Fevzi Çakmak, Rauf Orbay, Refet Bele, and Ali Fuat Cebesoy wrote this history alongside countless people whose names we do not know.

The Turkish people made extraordinary sacrifices. Mothers carried ammunition to the front, young people joined the mobilization to keep production going, and veterans defended the country. Together, they showed that a people united in the pursuit of freedom and independence could overcome even the hardest conditions. Our ability today to live freely, defend free thought, and exercise our will at the ballot box owes much to those who died, the work of the veterans, the vision of the founders, and the determination of the people.

The Republic is 102 years old. More than a century of history invites us to make the present more just and the future more prosperous. With this inheritance comes a responsibility to advance science, uphold the rule of law, strengthen equality between women and men in every part of life, develop production and technology for today's needs, and carry our cultural richness forward through democracy.

October 29, 1923, marks a promise made as a nation. On its 102nd anniversary, we remember Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our Republic, his comrades, and the millions whose names we do not know. We cherish the confidence expressed in the words, “How happy is the one who says, ‘I am a Turk.’” We will honor that trust by working, producing, standing together, and upholding law and justice.

The rule of law and equal citizenship reject privilege before the law. Merit, justice, and transparency are foundations of republican institutions. Equal educational opportunity helps individuals advance and society develop.

National sovereignty is embodied in the principle that sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the people. Representative democracy, free elections, the separation of powers, and parliamentary oversight sustain the Republic's vitality and legitimacy.

October 29, 1923: The proclamation and its meaning

On October 29, 1923, the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye proclaimed the Republic and made it the country's official form of government. This confirmed the transfer of sovereignty from the sultan to the people and established a modern state founded on law. October 29 is a day of national renewal that we celebrate each year with joy and gratitude.

Atatürk's leadership

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk led the struggle for independence to victory with military skill, founded the Republic through political vision, and began a social transformation through reforms guided by reason and science. He devoted his abilities to the nation and sought no personal advancement.

The role of his comrades: İnönü, Karabekir, and others

İsmet İnönü strengthened the army's resolve at the battles of İnönü and won recognition abroad for the new state through his diplomacy at Lausanne. General Kâzım Karabekir won public confidence in the east and secured stability from Erzurum to Kars during the transition from militia forces to a regular army. Fevzi Çakmak's military leadership, the determination of Ali Fuat Cebesoy and Refet Bele in the field, and the political and diplomatic efforts of Rauf Orbay and many others all helped lay the foundations of the Republic.

The sacrifices of the Turkish people and our gratitude

During the occupation, families in villages across Anatolia shared the same vow: “We will live free.” Young men marched to the front, mothers carried ammunition, farmers put their land to work for the country's defense, and nurses rushed to tend the wounded. Each willingly bore the cost of freedom. The freedom we have today was won by the labor and blood of these unnamed heroes. We are grateful.

Our responsibilities in the 102nd year and beyond

The Republic is 102 years old, an age of maturity and renewal. Our responsibilities today include creating value in science, technology, and industry, making learning part of everyday life, protecting the environment, and putting sustainable development at the heart of our plans.

Democracy depends on a commitment to ethics and law every day, including between elections. A culture of debate, freedom of expression, an independent press, and an impartial judiciary strengthen the Republic. The future will be brighter when we listen to one another and act on our shared judgment.

We bow in respect before the memory of those who died for our country and remember Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, İsmet İnönü, Kâzım Karabekir, and all their comrades with gratitude. Happy Republic Day! “Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the people.”