Merve Kavakç? Turkey’s first and last headscarf-wearing deputy, Merve Kavakç?, who was kicked out of Parliament due to her headscarf in 1999, submitted a petition to Parliament on Wednesday demanding the reinstatement of her pension rights.
Kavakç? was elected deputy for the Virtue Party (FP) in the 1999 elections, but she was no ordinary lawmaker as she wore the headscarf, which was considered a violation of the principle of secularism in politics. Long before the oath ceremony, discussions in the media heated up as to whether Kavakç? would come to Parliament wearing a headscarf. Kavakç?, indeed, appeared in a headscarf to take the oath in Parliament on May 2, 1999. She was not only dismissed from Parliament, but was also stripped of her citizenship in 2001.
If Parliament decides to approve Kavakç?’s demands, her pension rights will be restored. In addition, she will be given the identity card of a deputy, and her photo will be added to Parliament’s photo album. She will enjoy all the rights enjoyed by a retired deputy.
Commenting on Kavakç?’s petition, Ayhan Sefer Üstün, head of Parliament’s Human Rights Commission, said the pension rights of Kavakç? should be restored as soon as possible. “It is the duty of a democratic system to eliminate rulings made during extraordinary periods. By reinstating the rights of Kavakç?, Parliament will reinstate its own prestige,” he said.