Political leaders honor Atatürk on 87th anniversary of his passing
ANKARA
Top political figures gathered on Nov. 10 to commemorate the 87th anniversary of modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death, attending a ceremony at his mausoleum and sharing messages paying tribute to his legacy.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan led the ceremony at Anıtkabir in Ankara, joined by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and cabinet members.
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and İYİ (Good) Party’s Müsavat Dervişoğlu also attended.
In a message shared on X, Özel pledged to “continue the struggle” of Atatürk, the founder of CHP.
"Missing Atatürk is like missing a country. His enlightenment, his hope, his justice...” he wrote.
"I commemorate the founder of our Republic, the architect of our independence, our eternal Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, with respect and gratitude on the 87th anniversary of his passing. Everything began with him, and it will continue with the people behind him."
In a written statement, Bahçeli called on citizens to “sincerely and loyally protect the Turkish Republic and to be alert and vigilant in the face of possible risks and threats.”
"The Turkish Republic, based on its founding ideas and philosophy in the new century, and even more inspired by them, will surely climb to the summit it deserves, accompanied by the understanding of national unity and brotherhood."
İYİ Party's Dervişoğlu shared a video on X with the hashtag “May your soul be happy,” while the party organized Quran recitations across all 81 provinces to mark the occasion.
Kurtulmuş praised Atatürk for “paving the way for a sovereign and powerful" Türkiye. "We pray for mercy upon all our martyrs and veterans who sacrificed their lives for the homeland," he said.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said he “remembered Atatürk with mercy and respect,” while Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan vowed to “continue our state’s determined and principled stance, inspired by our struggle for independence.”
Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Türkiye is “moving steadily toward its goals in order to realize Atatürk’s vision.” He added, “To understand him is to continue to think, question and produce more for our country by guiding our lives with reason and science.”
Intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın also praised Atatürk for showing the world that a nation “can rise from its ashes” and for embodying the “ideal of an independent and strong Türkiye.”
