Inonu, National Chief and invariable General President of CHP (Republican People’s Party), and members of CHP made a claim in the days when the efforts for transition to multi-party system were ongoing intensely, i.e. in the foundation process of Democratic Party. According to that claim, it was asserted that recently established party, i.e. “Democratic Party was a collusion party”. According to those circles, Bayar took permission from Inonu when Democratic Party was founded. Inonu, National Chief, was not leaning towards foundation of Democratic Party under the presidency of Bayar. Also, Bayar was always in contact with Inonu during the foundation process of the party. The country brought democracy upon the request of the members of CHP, and new parties were founded. The incident, which caused CHP circles to make such a claim, was the event when Bayar was invited to Cankaya Mansion by Inonu for a dinner on December 4, 1945 and the meal he had with Inonu in private. The members of CHP, who were not glad to see a new party being founded, interpreted this invitation for dinner differently. These circles made a fuss by saying “the new party is a collusion” party.
Inonu said, in relation with the aforementioned meeting, that the claims of collusion are not true by stating that Celal Bayar brought the program of Democrat Party, the party that they shall establish, to him by courtesy, that they made a conversation with him on their party, and that he did not offer or suggest anyone to establish a party.
The actions towards the establishment of the Democratic Party started after the rejection of the “Memorandum of the Four” document in the CHP (Republican People's Party) Parliamentary group and subsequently the discharging of those who submitted that motion from the CHP. As a matter of fact, Celâl Bayar states in his work titled Başvekilim Menderes (My Prime Minister Menderes) that Adnan Menderes and Fuat Köprülü took the decision to establish a new party on the days they were expelled from the CHP. After these exportations, Celal Bayar resigned from his Izmir deputyship, and Refik Koraltan was exported from CHP due to violation of the party constitution, for his articles in Vatan Journal in which he defends his friends. Thus, the situation of those who submitted the Memorandum of the Four became certain. With İnönü's opening speech on the Turkish Grand National Assembly on November 1, 1945, it was expressed that the opposition was organized in a separate party form and it was implied that the establishment of new parties would be welcomed. In public and press it was now expected that a new party would be established under the leadership of Celal Bayar. Thus, there were news regarding the establishment of a new party in the newspapers on November 28, 1945. "A new party is being established. It can be expected that this party will take an official shape soon." it said in an article published in Vatan newspaper on November 28, 1945. In the article, it was stated that the name of the party to be established would be "National Democratic Party", and that the core of the party to be established was composed of four interpellant people. It was also stated in the article that perhaps the word "national" would not be allowed to be put before the name of the new party, but a party that would be called "democrat" would soon be expected to take a legal form.
The big day had finally come. As Bayar indicated in his statement, the program and regulation of the new party, which was founded on January 7, 1946 under the name of Democrat Party, would be announced. Bayar held a press conference in the evening of January 7th as expected. While the journalists who watched the press conference expected that Bayar would only explain the party program and its charter, the announcement surprised them. Because Bayar had announced that the Democrat Party was officially established and started to operate.
In the press meeting held on January 7, 1946, founders of Democratic Party, such as Celal Bayar and Adnan Menderes, who were the addressee of the claims of collusion, made the following statement; “Collusion is a frivolous act and none of us has a character to accept or make such an offer, and also, our country has no time to waste in collusive affairs”, and thus, they refused such claims strictly.
Çok-partili hayata geçiş çabalarını yoğunlaştığı günlerde yani Demokrat Parti’nin kuruluş sürecinde Milli Şef ve CHP Değişmez Genel Başkanı olan İnönü ve CHP'liler ortaya bir iddia atmışlardı. Bu iddia yeni kurulan partinin, yani “Demokrat Parti'nin bir muvazaa partisi” olduğuydu. Bu çevrelere göre Demokrat Parti kurulurken Bayar, İnönü'nün iznini almıştı. Millî Şef İnönü, Demokrat Parti'nin Bayar başkanlığında kurulmasına sıcak bakmıştı. Ayrıca partinin kuruluş süreci içerisinde Bayar, İnönü ile sürekli bir ilişki içerisinde olmuştu. CHP'liler istediği için ülkede demokrasiye geçilmiş ve yeni partiler kurulmuştu. CHP çevrelerinde böyle bir iddianın ortaya atılmasına sebep olan hadise, Bayar'ın 4 Aralık 1945 günü İnönü tarafından Çankaya Köşkü'ne yemeğe davet edilmesi ve onunla baş başa yediği akşam yemeğidir. Bu yemek daveti, yeni bir partinin kurulmasından hoşnut olmayan CHP'lilerce başka mecralara çekilmişti. Bu çevreler "yeni parti bir muvazaa" partisidir şeklinde yaygara yapmışlardır.
İnönü bu görüşmeyle ilgili olarak Celal Bayar’ın kuracakları Demokrat Parti’nin programını nezaketen kendisine getirdiğini ve kendisiyle partisi hakkında görüştüklerini ve hiçbir zata bir parti teşkil etmesi için teklif ve telkinde bulunmadığını söyleyerek muvazaa iddialarının doğru olmadığını belirtmiştir.
Muvazaa iddialarının muhatabı olan Demokrat Parti’nin Celal Bayar ve Adnan Menderes gibi kurucuları da 7 Ocak 1946 günü yaptıkları basın toplantısında “Muvazaanın hafiflik olduğu ve ne bunu kabul edecek ne de bu teklifi ileri sürecek kimseler olmadığını ve zaten ülkenin de muvazaalı işlere de tahammülü bulunmadığı” açıklamasını yaparak iddiaları kesinlikle reddetmişlerdir.
Bu çalışmada Demokrat Parti’nin kuruluş sürecinde siyasi çevreler ve basında tartışılan “muvazaa iddiaları” ele alınıp, verilmeye çalışılacaktır.
Primary Language | Turkish |
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Journal Section | Research Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | June 30, 2020 |
Submission Date | June 4, 2020 |
Published in Issue | Year 2020 Volume: 2 Issue: 1 |