On October 29, 1923, the Republic of Türkiye was established. 

“I told them that we would declare the republic tomorrow,” he writes. “All friends agreed with me, and we started discussing how to declare it. I never doubted that they would disagree with me. I knew they were thinking exactly what I thought,”
Atatürk, Nutuk (The Speech)

Centenary of the Establishment of the Republic of Türkiye
Issued in 2023

Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923) set the stage for a new nation. Led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish National Movement fought against Allied occupation and internal divisions to establish a sovereign state. The Grand National Assembly in Ankara, formed on April 23, 1920, declared Türkiye a republic, with Atatürk as its first president. The term Cumhuriyet, meaning “republic” in Turkish, symbolized a radical shift from the Ottoman sultanate’s absolute monarchy to a system where sovereignty belonged to the people. This wasn’t just a political change—it was a cultural and ideological revolution, aiming to create a unified, modern nation-state.
What is Cumhuritey? The Story of Türkiye’s Republic

Check out What is Cumhuritey? The Story of Türkiye’s Republic for a deeper dive into the creation of the Republic of Türkiye.

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