“National Oath of Hostility”
The Second Grand Convention of the Democrat Party was held between June 20 and 15, 1949 and Celal Bayar was reelected as the president of the party. The primary topic of the convention was the Election Law. The following question was deliberated at the Convention: “What will happen if the state resorts to antidemocratic methods in the upcoming general elections as it did in 1946?” The answer to the question was presented to the convention in a report on June 25th and the manifesto known as “The National Oath of Assurance” was accepted with a standing ovation. Accordingly, if there was any wrongdoing in the elections, the public would use its legitimate right of necessary defense. Necessary defense would be conducted through legal ways, but a cheating government would be met with the hostility of the nation.
The “National Oath of Assurance” DP embraced before the 1950 elections escalated political tension in the country. Based on the word “hostility,” CHP dubbed the manifesto, “The National Oath of Hostility.” They claimed that the opposition provoked the citizens to act unlawfully.
Despite all, the government under pressure proposed a new election law to the Grand National Assembly in February of 1950. Including judicial control for the first time, the draft law was passed with the support of DP.
