The Turkish Parliament witnessed a brawl on Tuesday between lawmakers from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition İYİ Party that landed an İYİ Party MP in intensive care in critical condition, the Halk TV news website reported.
AKP lawmaker Zafer Işık punched İYİ Party lawmaker Hüseyin Örs in the head during the altercation, which erupted for unknown reasons, causing Örs to collapse.
İYİ Party lawmaker Aylin Cesur, a medical doctor who gave first aid to Örs in parliament’s infirmary, said an electrocardiogram showed that the lawmaker’s heart was about to stop.
Örs was immediately taken to a hospital and put in the intensive care unit after his heart rhythm returned to normal following a cardiac procedure. İYİ Party member Turhan Çömez, also a medical doctor, said Örs’s condition is still life-threatening.
Örs reportedly has a pacemaker that will have to be replaced.
Parliamentary brawls are frequent in Turkey as tension between the ruling party and opposition parties’ lawmakers increases with looming general and presidential elections.
Turkey will hold both elections in June 2023.