Meclis-i Mebusan (State Council) was summoned on 12^th January of 1920. In its secret session on 28^th January of 1920, took the “ National Pact” (Misak-i Milli) decisions and all the deputies signed these decisions. In the session on 17^th February of 1920, the deputies determined to publish their decisions in press and to inform the foreign parliaments. On 15^th March, the entente forces in Istanbul arrested 150 Turkish intellectuals and the next day, the city was faced with the actual and official occupation.

On 18^th March of 1920, the British surrounded the Council’s meeting with machine guns, arrested and took away some deputies by using force. Consequently, the deputies postponed the meetings of the Council. Thus, the last Ottoman State Council was closed down under the bayonets of the British soldiers.

Mustafa Kemal Pasha (Ataturk) had learnt the occupation of Istanbul from a devoted telegraph officer named Manastirli Hamdi Efendi. Immediately, Mustafa Kemal had protested the occupation by declaring what a null and a void action it was, to the entire world. Meanwhile, the guns of the foreign troops in Eskisehir and Afyonkarahisar were taken and they were removed from their locations. The railway, near to Geyve-Ulukisla was demolished to hinder the advance of the foreign forces. The foreign officers in Anatolia were arrested.

In Ankara, it was determined to establish an assembly with extraordinary authorities. Thus, Mustafa Kemal introduced the Constituent Assembly under the name of “assembly with extraordinary authorities”. The Constituent Assembly manifested a proclamation about the election, on 19^th March of 1920. According to this proclamation the election was made in the entire country. However, there appeared some revolts firstly in Bolu, Duzce, Hendek and had spread to Nallihan and Beypazari.As a result of these revolts without waiting for all the elected deputies the preparations were begun for the National Assembly, in Ankara.

On 22^nd April of 1920 an announcement was made and on 23^rd April of 1920 the National Assembly was summoned. That day, after the Friday namaz, prayed in Haci Bayram Mosque, all the deputies came for the Assembly and for the first time in the Turkish history, without a sultan an assembly was opened with ceremonies and prayers on 23^rd April of 1920, at 14:00pm. Sinop deputy Serif Bey was the eldest deputy in the assembly and he was elected as the President of the Assembly. The first assembly started to work with more than 90 deputies came from Istanbul, 125 state officials, 53 soldiers, 53 Islam theologians, tradesman, farmers and lawyers in different numbers. On 24^th April of 1920, Mustafa Kemal was elected as the president and he made first speech.

The Assembly firstly regulated its own foundation. The assembly based on the decisions of Erzurum and Sivas Congresses and it was composed by elected members. Some members of the closed Ottoman State Council gained the right to join to the new assembly with the first article.

On the second day, the Assembly had accepted Mustafa Kemal’s draft laws, as below;

1) It is the essential principal to accept the national power, which will create and direct the country’s future. There is no authority above the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

2) Turkish Grand National Assembly has gathered the authority of the legislation and the execution in itself.

3) To construct a government is a must. An elected commission among the Assembly will be engaged in the governmental issues. The President of the Assembly will be also the President of this commission, as well.

4) A temporary president for the government or a regent of the sultan and caliph is unseemly for the present situation. Only after the sultan would rescue from the pressure, he could take his regulated position based on the legal essences of the Assembly.

Turkish Grand National Assembly, founded in the 23^rd April of 1920 had gathered the authorities of the legislation and the execution and sometimes the judgement in itself. It took the unity of the authority as the unique power of the nation. In accordance with the conditions of the time, a governmental assembly was founded. The President of the Assembly was the President of the Government as well. There was no President of the state. The members of the government were called as the representatives of the nation. With the extraordinary authorities, the Assembly represented the unity of powers and authority.

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