Turkish post card from 1895 about the Kanûn-? Esâsî, with the sultan Abdülhamid II, the Grand Vizier, the millets and Turkey (without islamic veil) receiving freedom; the flying angel show the motto: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

Opening of the Ottoman Parliament, 1876.

The First Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire was the period of constitutional monarchy from the promulgation of the Kanûn-? Esâsî (meaning "Basic Law" in Ottoman Turkish), written by members of the Young Ottomans, on 23 November 1876 until 13 February 1878. The era ended with the suspension of the Ottoman parliament by Abdülhamid II.

The first constitutional era did not include any party system. It visualized the parliament as the voice of the people but not in the form political parties and organizations. When compared to modern democracy criteria, it was more close to the "Constitutional" government than the other.

Electoral policies

The elections had been held in accordance with the provisional electoral regulations. In Ottoman design the parliament (house) was composed in two stages. First one is the "Meclis-i Mebusan" (literal "Chamber of Deputies" or House of Representatives), which is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house was the "Heyet-i Ayan" (Senate). The initial selection of deputies ("Meclis-i Mebusan") by administrative councils in the provinces ("Meclis-i Umumi") was used as the method.

After the establishment of "Meclis-i Umumi" in the provinces, the members select the deputies within self to form the "Meclis-i Mebusan" in the capital. Meclis-i Mebusan had 115 members and reflected the distribution of the millets in the empire. During the second elections had 69 Muslim millet representatives and 46 other-millet representatives (Jews, Phanariotes, Armenians) was established.

The second body was "Heyet-i Ayan" ("Senate") and the members were selected by the sultan. "Heyet-i Ayan" had only 26 members. It was designed to replaced the porte the Grand Vizier become the speaker of Heyet-i Ayan.

The two elections, one each year, happened between 1877?78.

First term, 1877

The members reactions to the incoming war was very strong and Abdülhamid II asked for new elections citing the Russo-Turkish War (1877?1878).

Second term, 1878

The life of the second term of the parliament was counted in days as after the initial speeches by the members from Balkan vilayets Abdülhamid II closed the parliament citing the social unrest.

Significant people

Mütercim Rü?dî Pa?a, Serasker Hüseyin Avni Pa?a, Sadrâzam Midhat Pa?a, Süleymân Pa?a.

See also

• Constitutional history of Turkey
• Tanzimat

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