A proposal to designate Istanbul as Türkiye's winter capital and Ankara as its summer capital was among hundreds of petitions submitted to Parliament in July, according to the latest report by the Turkish Grand National Assembly's (TBMM) Petition Committee.
The committee received 1,610 petitions during July, with the highest number of applications concerning labor and social security issues, followed by justice-related matters. Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir topped the list of provinces from which the most petitions were submitted.
Among the most notable proposals was a request to make Istanbul the country's winter capital and Ankara its summer capital. While the petition did not explain the reasoning behind the proposal, one possible motivation is seasonal practicality. Istanbul's milder maritime climate could make it a more convenient administrative base during the colder winter months, while Ankara's drier and warmer summer conditions may be seen as more suitable for hosting government operations during the rest of the year.
Other petitions called for banning loudspeaker phone conversations in public spaces, introducing optional unmanned aerial systems and FPV drone training during paid military service, prohibiting private detective companies and opening schoolyards to neighborhood children during summer holidays.
Several submissions also proposed banning the production of pointed knives to reduce their use in crimes, closing shopping malls on Sundays, introducing electronic attendance systems across all public institutions, reducing the public-sector workweek to four days and freezing rents for two years following nationwide natural disasters.
One petitioner requested that official announcements by public institutions be published primarily on official websites and domestic digital platforms instead of social media.
The committee said it continues to play an active role in helping resolve citizens' complaints by coordinating with relevant institutions.
According to the report, the committee helped address construction defects in a public housing project in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, supported efforts to build a sports complex in another neighborhood in the province, facilitated action over late-night noise complaints in the central province of Eskişehir, assisted authorities regarding an unlicensed textile business in Istanbul and followed up on reports of illegal water wells in the central province of Konya.
Petition Committee Chair Sunay Karamık said the right to petition is one of the most effective ways for citizens to participate in governance and bring public expectations before Parliament.
She said the wide range of applications received from different segments of society serves as an important source of information, helping guide solutions while strengthening democratic participation.
