Erdogan opts for a low-key celebration of Turkey's 100th anniversary as a secular republic

Turkey is marking the 100th anniversary of the creation of the modern, secular republic from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire on Sunday, but expect no grand pageantry or gala reception to memorialize the important milestone.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has opted for a low-key celebration of the centennial, which comes months after a devastating earthquake that killed 50,000 people and coincides with the Israeli-Hamas war that has roiled the Middle East.

The subdued affair, however, has caused dismay among many in Turkey who feel that the legacy of the republic’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, is under attack by Erdogan’s government. They see the lack of pomp and fanfare an as attempt by the government, which finds its roots in Turkey’s Islamic movement, to erase Ataturk's memory.

Erdogan will observe the traditional protocol of laying a wreath at Ataturk’s mausoleum in the capital and shake hands with a procession of ambassadors and high-level officials at his palace. He will then travel to Istanbul to watch a procession of military ships on the Bosporus followed by a drones and fireworks show. In his speech marking the occasion, Erdogan is expected to highlight his government’s achievements in the past 20 years.

Earlier this year, Erdogan invited a slew of foreign leaders to celebrate his reelection for a third term as president in May but won’t be hosting a reception to mark the republic’s major milestone. State broadcaster TRT announced it was canceling special centennial programs due to the war in Gaza.

People wave Turkish and Palestinian flags as Turkish President speaks in Istanbul on Saturday. AFP

Many in Turkey will be holding their own private celebrations or parties in restaurants or homes. Municipalities run by opposition parties are organizing concerts and parades. Pop star Tarkan, classical pianist Fazil Say are among artists that have composed marches to mark the centennial.

"There are those who still have a problem with our republic 100 years later,” said the leader of the center-right opposition Iyi Party, Meral Aksener, accusing the government of not missing the opportunity to ensure the "100th year (celebration) falls flat.” She and others believe a mass pro-Palestinian rally attended by Erdogan on Saturday was especially organized to overshadow the centennial celebration.

But Ahmet Hakan, columnist for the pro-government Hurriyet newspaper, says the scaled-back celebration became "inevitable” due to Israel’s actions in Gaza, which have triggered a wave of protests particularly in Muslim-majority countries, in response to Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

A World War I hero who went on to lead a war of independence against occupying forces, Ataturk proclaimed the Turkish Republic on Oct. 29, 1923. He embarked on a series of radical reforms aimed at turning the majority Muslim nation into a secular, Western-style democracy. He abolished the caliphate, replaced the Arabic script with the Latin alphabet and gave women the right to vote.

Associated Press