Today in History – 10 December

No grudges shall be held

The constitutional amendment that would grant political rights to Democrat Party members suspended from politics after the coup of May 27, 1960 was made in 1969 with the support of CHP President İsmet İnönü. Although the last group of May 27th political prisoners were released with a pardon issued on August 8, 1966, the clause “even if they have been pardoned” in the 68th article of the Constitution pertaining to eligibility had to be removed.

What led CHP to support the Justice Party (AP) in the amendment to be made was the following statement İsmet İnönü made at the joint meeting of the CHP Council and Senate Groups on May 12, 1969:

I firmly believe that no grudges shall be held in this country… After much deliberation, I made a decision I will abide by. Now, I stick my neck out for your decision. I will save a man from the pit he has fallen into.

İnönü was referring to Celal Bayar.

Once the constitutional amendment was passed in the Assembly and the Senate, İsmet İnönü and Celal Bayar came together at the Pink Villa, coincidentally, on the anniversary of DP’s election victory of 1950.

Following objections from the army and the appeal of the Worker’s Party of Turkey (TIP), the Constitutional Court reversed the decision and the constitutional amendment could only be enacted five years later.