Felicity Party MP dies after collapsing during parliamentary speech

ANKARA

Hasan Bitmez, a deputy from the Felicity Party (SP), has passed away after collapsing during his speech in the Turkish parliament.

The 22-minute speech on Dec. 12's session, which concluded with the phrase "I greet you all with respect," took a tragic turn when Bitmez collapsed, hitting his head on a marble step behind the lectern.

Quick responses from fellow deputies saw them rushing to provide immediate first aid. Bitmez required a prolonged period of heart massage before being transported on a stretcher to an ambulance and subsequently to a hospital in the capital Ankara.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca later announced the tragic news on Dec. 14, stating that despite exhaustive efforts in the intensive care unit, Bitmez passed away at 11:50 a.m. Deputy Parliament Speaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder adjourned then ongoing session following the announcement.

The incident occurred as the 54-year-old politician vehemently criticized the government's stance on the Israel-Hamas war, leading to a heated exchange of words with some lawmakers.

Koca earlier revealed that Bitmez had undergone angioplasty, with two of his main arteries found to be completely blocked. Despite additional interventions and efforts, Bitmez was placed on a heart-lung pump, breathing with the assistance of an artificial lung and heart device.

The deputy from northwestern province of Kocaeli had diabetes and two heart stents, as reported by local media.

The funeral prayers for Hasan Bitmez are scheduled to take place on Dec. 15 after Friday prayers at a mosque in Istanbul, followed by his burial in Merkezefendi cemetery.

Expressing condolences on X, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş conveyed, "I wish God's mercy to Hasan Bitmez and condolences to his family, the Felicity Party community, our parliament and our nation."

SP leader Temel Karamollaoğlu also paid tribute, writing, "Our deputy chair and Kocaeli MP Hasan Bitmez, whose sincerity, diligence and sacrifice we have always witnessed, has gone to God."