A physical confrontation broke out in Turkey’s parliament on Wednesday as lawmakers clashed over the appointment of a new justice minister during a surprise cabinet reshuffle.

The unrest began when opposition legislators attempted to block Akin Gurlek, the newly appointed justice minister and former Istanbul chief prosecutor, from taking his oath of office. Lawmakers from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) opposed the appointment, citing concerns over Gurlek’s role in high-profile trials against CHP members, including prominent figures such as Ekrem İmamoğlu. When attempts to physically prevent the swearing-in intensified, pushed and shoving escalated into a brawl on the parliamentary floor.

Ruling party members from the Justice and Development Party (AKP) intervened to protect the process, and the speaker temporarily suspended the session before order was restored. Eventually, Gurlek took the oath amid support from AKP lawmakers.

The cabinet reshuffle also saw Mustafa Çiftci, the governor of Erzurum province, named as interior minister. The Official Gazette said outgoing ministers “requested to be relieved” of their duties, though no official reason for the change was provided.

The appointment of Gurlek has been controversial, with critics arguing that his history of prosecutions against opposition figures reflects political bias, while the government maintains that the judiciary operates independently. The reshuffle and parliamentary tensions occurred amid ongoing debates in Turkey over constitutional reforms and a peace initiative aimed at ending long-standing conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).