The last Ottoman Parliamentary elections in the Italian occupation zones

In the years when the Ottoman State entered the collapse period, the era of parliaments was experienced in Europe. In this process, the constitutional movements that started in Europe were reflected in the Ottoman Empire and the Constitutional rule started to be structured within the Ottoman State as well. Therefore, we can say that it would be wrong to base the foundation of the Republic as the beginning of the democratization process in the Ottoman Empire. Because modernization and democratization movements in the Ottoman started in the early 19th century and continued with projects in the Tanzimat and Constitutional periods. After the insistence of adoption of a constitution in the European model of the intellectual who was brought up by the Tanzimat period, the thought of Constitutional became stronger and Sultan II. Abdulhamit declared Kanun-ı Esasi. After the announcement of this constitution, which is the first modern constitution in terms of Turkish history, it is time to open the assembly. As a matter of fact, an election law was prepared for the elections and it was decided to hold the elections together with the constitution according to this law. In general, two-degree election system was adopted, but the first elections held in 1876 did not comply with this rule. In this respect, we can say that the elections held in 1908 were the first general elections in which the public participated in general terms. In the elections held in 1912 and 1914, the election law and the constitution were made according to the rules determined in the same way. Until the start of World War I in 1914 and the end of the Mondros Armistice in 1918, the 1914 assembly served. The Ottoman Empire, who lost the war, had to accept heavy conditions with the Mondros Armistice. On the other hand, although Italy declared its neutrality at the beginning of the First World War, it decided to enter the war alongside the Entente States because it considered the war of the Entente States. In this process, he tried to guarantee his future with secret agreements with England and France. London and St. Petersburg, built in 1915 and 1917. With the Jean de Maurienne agreements, a wide region from Antalya to Izmir was promised to Italy in Anatolia. However, when he learned that Ġzmir, which was promised to him by secret agreements made at the Paris Peace Conference (18-21 January 1919), which was held after the war, was given to Greece by Britain, he changed his occupation policy against Anatolia and acted independently by facing the Entente States. It began. However, he is also aware that he is powerless against the Entente States. For this reason, in the occupation policy followed by the Ottoman Empire, a more moderate policy was followed compared to other occupying powers. He prepared his occupations under the pretext of the archaeological delegations he sent to Anatolia and started to occupy the Ottoman lands in March 1919. In this context, while the Italian occupations continued, the National Struggle movement was initiated under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Pasha, and especially after Sivas Congress, Damat Ferit Pasha Cabinet resigned on October 1, 1919 after the decision to cease communication with Istanbul. With the establishment of the Ali Rıza Pasha cabinet on 3 October 1919, it was decided to hold elections and open the parliament. With this government, which approached the National Struggle movement more moderately, Mustafa Kemal Pasha and the Representative Committee entered the elections in the Italian occupation regions as of October 1919. Although the elections have been approved by the Istanbul Government, they do not want the election of those who nominate the Representative Committee in the elections. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the elections especially stated that the elections sent to the provincial center and the sancaks were followed strictly. After the end of these elections, on January 12, 1920, the Last Ottoman Parliament was opened and it was able to hold 24 sessions in total.