Fierce political disputes in Turkey over changes in the leadership of the Ministry of Justice following the reorganization carried out by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were accompanied by an unusual episode during the handover ceremony.
One incident occurred when the chair where the new minister, Akin Gürlek, was sitting, sank further than normal, making him appear lower than his predecessor, Yilmaz Tunç.
Ministry officials tried to fix the situation after Gürlek pointed out the problem, but to no avail, while the annoyance on his face was evident.
However, he attended the ceremony and in his first speech thanked President Erdogan for his trust, promising to continue reforms in the justice system, speed up court procedures, strengthen digital infrastructure, and fight crime without compromise.
The new minister emphasized that he comes from the judicial system and has served for about 20 years as a judge and prosecutor, adding that he knows the problems of his colleagues closely and intends to work to solve them. Until recently, Gürlek held the post of chief prosecutor in Istanbul and has been involved in high-profile cases, including the proceedings against Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
Yılmaz Tunç bakanlık taşımıni Akın Gürlek'e devretti: Törende alçak karşık krizi ışışını https://t.co/Zt49mttyzU pic.twitter.com/o31lEcIX14
— Evrensel Gazetesi (@evrenselgzt) February 11, 2026
Jo. Jo. Ai është thjesht kaq i shkurtër! Por koka ë madhë!