Süleyman Demirel
Sami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel (Turkish pronunciation: [sylejˈman de'miɾæl]; 1 November 1924 – 17 June 2015) was a Turkish politician, engineer, and statesman who served as the 9th President of Turkey from 1993 to 2000. He previously served as the Prime Minister of Turkey seven times between the years 1965 and 1993. He was the leader of the Justice Party (AP) from 1964 to 1980 and the leader of the True Path Party (DYP) from 1987 to 1993.
Süleyman Demirel | |
|---|---|
Demirel in 1998 | |
| 9th President of Turkey | |
| In office 16 May 1993 – 16 May 2000 | |
| Prime Minister | Tansu Çiller Necmettin Erbakan Mesut Yılmaz Bülent Ecevit |
| Preceded by | Turgut Özal |
| Succeeded by | Ahmet Necdet Sezer |
| 12th Prime Minister of Turkey | |
| In office 20 November 1991 – 16 May 1993 | |
| President | Turgut Özal |
| Deputy | Erdal İnönü |
| Preceded by | Mesut Yılmaz |
| Succeeded by | Erdal Inönü (acting) |
| In office 12 November 1979 – 12 September 1980 | |
| President | Fahri Korutürk |
| Preceded by | Bülent Ecevit |
| Succeeded by | Bülend Ulusu |
| In office 21 July 1977 – 5 January 1978 | |
| President | Fahri Korutürk |
| Deputy | Necmettin Erbakan Alparslan Türkeş |
| Preceded by | Bülent Ecevit |
| Succeeded by | Bülent Ecevit |
| In office 31 March 1975 – 21 June 1977 | |
| President | Fahri Korutürk |
| Deputy | Necmettin Erbakan Turhan Feyzioğlu Alparslan Türkeş |
| Preceded by | Sadi Irmak |
| Succeeded by | Bülent Ecevit |
| In office 21 October 1965 – 16 March 1971 | |
| President | Cemal Gürsel Cevdet Sunay |
| Preceded by | Suat Hayri Ürgüplü |
| Succeeded by | Nihat Erim |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey | |
| In office 20 February 1965 – 21 October 1965 | |
| Prime Minister | Suat Hayri Ürgüplü |
| Preceded by | Kemal Satır |
| Succeeded by | Atilla Karaosmanoğlu Sadi Koçaş (1971) |
| Leader of the True Path Party | |
| In office 24 September 1987 – 16 May 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Hüsamettin Cindoruk |
| Succeeded by | Tansu Çiller |
| Leader of the Justice Party | |
| In office 28 November 1964 – 16 October 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Ragıp Gümüşpala |
| Succeeded by | Party abolished |
| Member of the Grand National Assembly | |
| In office 29 November 1987 – 16 May 1993 | |
| Constituency | Isparta (1987, 1991) |
| In office 10 October 1965 – 12 September 1980 | |
| Constituency | Isparta (1965, 1969, 1973, 1977) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 November 1924 Atabey, Isparta, Turkey |
| Died | 17 June 2015 (aged 90) Ankara, Turkey |
| Cause of death | Respiratory tract infection |
| Resting place | Atabey, Turkey |
| Political party | Justice Party, True Path Party |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | Istanbul Technical University |
| Profession | Civil engineer |
| Signature | |
Having been identified as a potential future prime minister by Adnan Menderes, Demirel was elected leader of the Justice Party in 1964 and managed to bring down the government of İsmet İnönü in 1965 despite not being a Member of Parliament. He supported the government of Suat Hayri Ürgüplü until his party won a parliamentary majority in 1965. He became the first prime minister born in the Republic of Turkey. Claiming that his Justice Party was the successor of the banned Democrat Party, he was re-elected as premier in 1969 by winning a parliamentary majority for a second time. Despite his economic reforms which stabilised inflation, he resigned after his budget was blocked by parliament, but formed his third government shortly after. His premiership came to an end following the 1971 Turkish coup d'état.
Demirel was the leader of the opposition from 1971 to 1975 before forming a right-wing government known as the First Nationalist Front, which collapsed in 1977. He formed the Second Nationalist Front cabinet in 1977, which collapsed in 1978. Demirel's minority government in 1979 was unable to elect a president in 1980, leading to the 1980 Turkish coup d'état which banned Demirel from politics. Returning to politics in 1987, he assumed the leadership of the True Path Party. He won the 1991 general election and formed a coalition with the Social Democratic Populist Party (SHP), assuming his fifth and final term as prime minister. Following the sudden death of serving President Turgut Özal, Demirel contested the 1993 presidential election and subsequently became the ninth President of Turkey until 2000. With 10 years and 5 months, his tenure as premier is the third longest in Turkish history, after İsmet İnönü and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.