Summary
Highlights
Following the occupation of Istanbul on March 16, 1920, Mustafa Kemal initiated the establishment of a new assembly in Ankara. Despite efforts to organize elections and invite members from the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies (Mebusan Meclisi), only 115 out of an expected 330 deputies attended the opening on April 23, 1920, due to transportation difficulties, casualties, and Allied obstructions. The assembly aimed to save the homeland from occupation and uphold national independence and sovereignty.
The original building, an unfinished club of the Committee of Union and Progress, was hastily converted for the assembly. Deputies faced extreme hardships, with no proper furniture, lighting, or roofing. Local citizens donated roof tiles, and school desks and gas lamps were brought from elementary schools and coffee houses. Many deputies, including high-ranking generals, had to sleep on makeshift beds or in locals' homes, highlighting their immense dedication to the nation's salvation amidst difficult conditions.
The opening of the TBMM was postponed to April 23, a Friday, to align with religious practices and counter anti-Kemalist fatwas. Prayers were held in Hacı Bayram Mosque, and the ceremony included sacred relics and animal sacrifices. Sinop Deputy Şerif Bey, the eldest member, delivered the opening speech. The assembly debated its name, with Mustafa Kemal suggesting 'Constituent Assembly' (Meclis-i Müessisan) but settling for 'Grand National Assembly' (Büyük Millet Meclisi) due to public unfamiliarity and concerns about explicitly declaring a new state. The 'Turkey' prefix was added 9.5 months later.
The First TBMM was revolutionary, democratic, and war-focused. It established a new state and army, drafted a constitution, and united legislative, executive, and judicial powers to enable swift decision-making during the War of Independence. It was nationalistic, with no minority representatives, and operated under a 'parliamentary government system' (meclis hükümeti sistemi) where the Speaker of the Assembly also headed the government. Forming a cabinet was challenging due to the heavy responsibilities during wartime.
On April 24, 1920, crucial decisions were made to establish the new government's authority. These included declaring that no power was above the Grand National Assembly, ensuring the assembly's permanence (not temporary), and stipulating that the mechanism of the sultanate and caliphate would be determined later by the assembly. These decisions effectively challenged the authority of the Ottoman government and affirmed the sovereignty of the national will.
The first cabinet (İcra Vekilleri Heyeti) included Mustafa Kemal as Speaker of the Assembly, Rıza Nur as Minister of Education, Adnan Adıvar as Minister of Health, and İsmet İnönü as Chief of General Staff. The first ministry established was the Ministry of Health (Sıhhiye ve İçtimai Muavenet Bakanlığı). The assembly faced significant challenges, including internal groups like Müdafaa-i Hukuk and Yeşil Ordu, and had to contend with revolts and propaganda from the Istanbul government.
The First TBMM enacted several critical laws tailored to wartime needs. These included the Law on Animal Tax (Ağnam Vergisi), the Law on Regular Army, the Teşkilat-ı Esasiye (1921 Constitution), the adoption of the İstiklal Marşı (National Anthem), the Law on Deserters, and the establishment of Independence Courts (İstiklal Mahkemeleri) to enhance its authority. The Başkomutanlık Law appointed Mustafa Kemal Commander-in-Chief, marking his return to military duty. The Law of Treason Against the Nation (Hıyanet-i Vataniye Kanunu) was passed to suppress rebellions, and the Law of Assembly Rules (Nisab-ı Müzakere Kanunu) regulated parliamentary procedures. The Law against Extravagance (Men-i İsrafat Kanunu) and the Law on Prohibition of Alcohol and Tobacco Sales (Men-i Müskirat Kanunu) were enacted to conserve resources and redirect funds away from Allied powers.
The Treaty of Sèvres, drafted at the San Remo Conference (April 18-26, 1920), was a 433-article peace treaty designed to dismantle the Ottoman Empire. Grand Vizier Tevfik Pasha refused to sign it, calling it a 'death warrant.' In response, Greek forces, at Britain's behest, advanced beyond the Milne Line, occupying Bursa and Uşak. The occupation of Bursa led the TBMM to drape its parliamentary rostrum in black as a sign of mourning. Sultan Vahdettin's Saltanat Şurası (Sultanate Council) approved the treaty, with only Topçu Feriki Rıza Paşa dissenting. However, the treaty was signed in Sèvres, France, by three Ottoman delegates—Damat Ferit, Rıza Tevfik, and Hadi Paşa. Mustafa Kemal famously described Sèvres as 'a calamitous decree of execution for the Turkish nation.'
The Treaty of Sèvres was legally invalid because it was not ratified by the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies, which was dissolved. Furthermore, it was never implemented because the Turkish National Movement, led by the TBMM, successfully resisted its terms through the War of Independence, ultimately leading to the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne. The treaty's provisions included ceding Izmir and Eastern Thrace to Greece, Antalya and Konya to Italy, southern Anatolia and Zonguldak to France, and Musul and Palestine to Britain. It also proposed creating Armenian and Kurdish states, limited the Ottoman army to 50,700 men without heavy weapons or a navy, and established international control over the Bosporus and Dardanelles.