New Turkish parliament to be more inclusive
Following Turkey's general elections on June 7, Armenian, Syriac, Yazidi, Roma, Kurdish, and Alevi deputies are entering parliament, for the first time ever or after an extended absence.
In addition to its unexpected political results, Turkey's general election on June 7 will go down in history as the first election that saw unrepresented non-Muslim citizens enter the parliament as deputies. The election saw six non-Muslim parliamentarians elected.
Armenian deputies
Non-Muslim deputies are not a first for the Turkish parliament. In 1935, Berc Keresteciyan, the first Armenian deputy, entered the parliament on the list of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.
Armenians were represented in the parliament from 1935 to 1961, but after the pogroms in Istanbul against non-Muslim minorities on Sept. 6-7, 1955, when non-Muslim citizens were assaulted and their properties looted, and with the eruption of the Cyprus crisis, Armenians were sidelined. Now, 54 years later, three Armenians from three different political parties have entered the parliament.
