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| Constitutional history of Turkey |
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| Constitutional documents |
| Constitutions |
| Referendums |
| Constitutional Court |
A constitutional referendum was held in Turkey on 7 November 1982. The new constitution was approved by 91% of voters, with a 91% turnout. [1]
In 1980 the Grand National Assembly was scheduled to elect a new President to replace Fahri Korutürk. However, the parties were unable to agree on a candidate, and on 12 September 1980, the Turkish Armed Forces led by Kenan Evren staged a coup d'état, dissolved the Grand National Assembly and started ruling the country through the National Security Council.
The NSC set up a Consultative Assembly and appointed all 160 members. Political parties were shut down, and those who had been members of parties were excluded from the Assembly. [2] It worked from 23 November 1981 and 17 July 1982 to draw up the new constitution, [3] which would replace the 1961 document. Evren claimed the 1961 constitution had liberties "luxurious" for Turkey. [4]
One of the transitional provisions of the constitution named Evren as President until 1989. [5] The constitution also banned civil society organisations from political activity, whilst political parties were banned from working with civil society organisations, including trade unions. [2] The Army was given a majority in the National Security Council, which was also deemed to be superior to the cabinet. [2]
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 17,215,559 | 91.37 | |
| Against | 1,626,431 | 8.63 | |
| Total | 18,841,990 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 18,841,990 | 99.77 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 43,498 | 0.23 | |
| Total votes | 18,885,488 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 20,690,914 | 91.27 | |
| Source: Nohlen et al. | |||
The politics of Turkey take place in the framework of a constitutional republic and presidential system, with various levels and branches of power.
The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye, is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-in-chief of the Turkish military. The president also heads the National Security Council.
Sami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel 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.
Ahmet Necdet Sezer is a Turkish statesman and judge who served as the tenth president of Turkey from 2000 to 2007. Previously, he was president of the Constitutional Court of Turkey from January 1998 to May 2000. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey elected Sezer as president in 2000 after Süleyman Demirel's seven-year term expired. He was succeeded by Abdullah Gül in 2007.
Ahmet Kenan Evren was a Turkish politician and military officer who served as the seventh President of Turkey from 1980 to 1989. He assumed the post by leading the 1980 military coup.
The prime minister of Turkey, officially the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey, was the head of government of the Republic of Turkey from 1920 to 2018, who led a political coalition in the Turkish Parliament and presided over the cabinet. Throughout the political history of Turkey, functions and powers of the post have changed occasionally. Prior to its dissolution as a result of the 2017 Constitutional Referendum, the holder of the premiership was generally the dominant figure in Turkish politics, outweighing the president.
The Grand National Assembly of Turkey, usually referred to simply as the TBMM or Parliament, is the unicameral Turkish legislature. It is the sole body given the legislative prerogatives by the Turkish Constitution. It was founded in Ankara on 23 April 1920 amid the National Campaign. This constitution had founded its pre-government known as 1st Executive Ministers of Turkey in May 1920. The parliament was fundamental in the efforts of Mareşal Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 1st President of the Republic of Turkey, and his colleagues to found a new state out of the remnants of the Ottoman Empire.
The Welfare Party was an Islamist political party in Turkey. It was founded by Ali Türkmen, Ahmet Tekdal, and Necmettin Erbakan in Ankara in 1983 as heir to two earlier parties, National Order Party (MNP) and National Salvation Party (MSP), which were banned from politics. The RP participated in mayoral elections at that time and won in three cities Konya, Şanlıurfa, and Van. Their vote percentage was approximately 5%.
The 1980 Turkish coup d'état, headed by Chief of the General Staff General Kenan Evren, was the third coup d'état in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the previous having been the 1960 coup and the 1971 coup by memorandum.
The judicial system of Turkey is defined by Articles 138 to 160 of the Constitution of Turkey.
The National Security Council is the principal government agency used by the President of Turkey for consideration of national security, military, and foreign policy matters with senior national security officials, and for coordinating these policies among various government agencies. Like the national security councils of other countries, the MGK develops the national security policy.
The Constitutional Court of Turkey is the highest legal body for constitutional review in Turkey. It "examines the constitutionality, in respect of both form and substance, of laws, decrees having the force of law, and the Rules of Procedure of the Turkish Grand National Assembly". If necessary, it also functions as the Supreme Criminal Court to hear any cases raised about the President, Vice President, members of the Cabinet, or judges of the high courts. In addition to those functions, it examines individual applications on the grounds that one of the fundamental rights and freedoms within the scope of the European Convention on Human Rights which are guaranteed by the Constitution has been violated by public authorities.
Over the centuries, Turkey has had many constitutions and can be characterised by the steady establishment of a nation-state, democratisation and recognition of international law.
Osman Mümtaz Soysal was a Turkish professor of constitutional law, political scientist, politician, human rights activist, ex-prisoner of conscience, senior advisor, columnist, and author.
The Constitution of Turkey, formally known as the Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye, and informally as the Constitution of 1982, is Turkey's fundamental law. It establishes the organization of the government, and sets out the principles and rules of the state's conduct along with its responsibilities in regards to its citizens. The constitution also establishes the rights and responsibilities of the latter while setting the guidelines for the delegation and exercise that sovereignty belongs entirely and without doubt to the people.
Political violence in Turkey became a serious problem in the late 1970s and was even described as a "low-level civil war". The death squads of Turkish right-wing ultranationalist groups, sometimes allied with the state, inflicted around 5,000 casualties with the motivation of acting against the resistance of the left-wing opposition. Most of the victims were left-wingers. The level of illegal violence lessened for a while after the 1980 Turkish coup d'état, until the Kurdish-Turkish conflict erupted in 1984.
Women in Turkey have an active participation in national politics, and the number of women in the Turkish parliament has been increasing steadily in recent elections.
Events in the year 1983 in Turkey.
The Advisory Parliament existed from 15 October 1981 to 6 November 1983. It was established by the military rule of 1980 Turkish coup d'état. 120 MPs were representatives of the provinces and 40 MPs were appointed by the military rule.
The National Security Council was a military junta established to exercise legislative authority after the seizure of the country's government by the 1980 Turkish coup d'état. It consisted of Chief of General Staff General Kenan Evren, Commander of the Land Forces General Nurettin Ersin, Commander of the Naval Forces Admiral Nejat Tümer, Commander of the Air Force General Tahsin Şahinkaya, and Commander of the Gendarmerie General Sedat Celasun.
| Presidential elections | |
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| Parliamentary elections | |
| Local elections | |
| Senate elections | |
| Referendums | |
See also: Elections in the Ottoman Empire | |
