A fresh controversy has erupted over the academic background of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, following new claims from a main opposition party lawmaker regarding the validity and timeline of his university degrees. The allegations center on the duration of his undergraduate studies and his enrollment in a master's program, seemingly without the necessary prerequisite equivalency certificate from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK).
The claims were brought forward by Namık Tan, a Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Deputy, former Ambassador to Washington, and a past spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Tan, who has been pursuing the matter for months, published a new statement on social media. He asserted that official records indicate Fidan completed a three-year undergraduate program and began his master's degree at Bilkent University before obtaining the required YÖK equivalency. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously dismissed similar allegations, stating that the questions had been answered with supporting documents.
In his latest statement, reported by the T24, Tan included a relevant YÖK document. "Sadly, our suspicions were correct," Tan wrote. "Official records show that Hakan Fidan completed an undergraduate program that was only three years long, distance-learning, and even open education, and started his master's education at Bilkent University without obtaining YÖK equivalency!"
The lawmaker had initially submitted a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry two months prior, seeking to clarify Fidan's undergraduate education, the equivalency process, and the conditions of his acceptance to Bilkent University. Tan stressed the importance of transparency for high-ranking state officials, arguing that "even the smallest uncertainty is a matter of institutional reputation."
The response to the inquiry, which arrived after a prolonged silence, failed to clarify most of the questions, according to Tan. However, the limited information provided by YÖK itself raised new concerns. The YÖK statement indicated that Fidan was registered in an undergraduate program at the University of Maryland University College in Germany between 1994 and 1997—a period of only three years. Tan questioned how a three-year program could be considered equivalent to a standard four-year Turkish undergraduate degree.
Furthermore, the response noted that Fidan pursued his master's degree at Bilkent University between 1997 and 1999. Crucially, the YÖK equivalency certificate for his undergraduate degree is dated January 15, 1998. "This clearly shows that Fidan started his master's education without obtaining the undergraduate equivalency," Tan asserted, demanding to know "which regulation, which privilege" could permit such an exception.
Tan framed the issue not as a biographical debate but as a "test concerning the legitimacy of the state and the public conscience." He argued that the matter reveals an erosion of meritocracy, equality, and transparency within the state's institutional structure. The Foreign Ministry, he noted, is one of the country's most established institutions, deriving its strength from competence and seriousness, not privilege.
The CHP deputy concluded by calling on Hakan Fidan to take the initiative to dispel the doubts surrounding his education, vowing that the opposition would continue to pursue the "cautionary tale" until full clarity is achieved. The controversy underscores the ongoing political tension in Turkey, where the educational credentials of top officials have become a recurring point of contention. The public awaits a detailed response from Minister Fidan or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the specific timeline discrepancies and the issue of the missing equivalency at the time of his master's enrollment.
Photo: The source