List of the Main Opposition Leaders of Turkey

Last updated

Main Opposition Leader
Ana Muhalefet Lideri
CHP logo (2024, vertical red).svg
Logo of the largest opposition party
Ozgur Ozel, September 17 2023 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Özgür Özel
since 5 November 2023
Residence No official residence
AppointerLargest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet
Term length While leader of the largest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet
Inaugural holder Kâzım Karabekir (One-party period)
Celâl Bayar (Multi-party period)
Formation17 October 1924 (One-party period)
7 January 1946 (Multi-party period)

This article lists the individuals to have served as Main Opposition Leader of Turkey, since the inception of the republican period in 1923. The Main Opposition Leader (Turkish : Ana Muhalefet Lideri) is the leader of the largest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in cabinet.

Contents

Except for two brief periods (1924–25 and 1930), there were no opposition leaders in the one-party period. Furthermore, there were no opposition leaders during the periods of military dictatorships in the multi-party period (1960–61 and 1980–83). [1] [2] [3]

List

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
PartyTerm of officeHead of government
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Musa Kazim Karabekir.jpg Kâzım Karabekir
(1882–1948)
Progressive Republican Party
(TCF)
17 October 19243 June 1925229 days İsmet İnönü
Fethi Okyar
Office Vacant (1925 - 1930)
2 Ali fethi okyar prr.jpg Fethi Okyar
(1880–1943)
Liberal Republican Party
(SCF)
12 August 193017 November 193097 days İsmet İnönü
Office Vacant (1930 - 1946)
3 Mahmut Celal Bayar.jpg Celâl Bayar
(1883–1986)
Democrat Party
(DP)
7 January 194614 May 19504 years, 127 days Şükrü Saracoğlu
Recep Peker
Hasan Saka
Şemsettin Günaltay
4 Inonu Ismet.jpg İsmet İnönü
(1884–1973)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
22 May 195027 May 196010 years, 5 days Adnan Menderes
Office Vacant (1960 - 1961)
5 President John F. Kennedy with Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, Ekrem Alican (cropped).jpg Ekrem Alican
(1916–2000)
New Turkey Party
(YTP)
20 November 196125 June 1962217 days İsmet İnönü
6 Ragıp Gümüşpala
(1897–1964)
Justice Party
(AP)
25 June 19626 June 19641 year, 347 days İsmet İnönü
7 Demirel 1962 cropped.jpg Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
6 June 196420 February 1965259 days İsmet İnönü
8
(4)
Inonu Ismet.jpg İsmet İnönü
(1884–1973)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
20 February 196526 March 19716 years, 34 days Suat Hayri Ürgüplü
Süleyman Demirel
9
(7)
Demirel 1976 cropped.jpg Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
Justice Party
(AP)
26 January 197417 November 1974295 days Bülent Ecevit
10 Bulent Ecevit Cropped.jpg Bülent Ecevit
(1925–2006)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
31 March 197521 June 19772 years, 82 days Süleyman Demirel
11
(7)
Demirel 1976 cropped.jpg Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
Justice Party
(AP)
21 June 197721 July 197730 days Bülent Ecevit
12
(10)
Bulent Ecevit Cropped.jpg Bülent Ecevit
(1925–2006)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
21 July 19775 January 1978168 days Süleyman Demirel
13
(7)
Demirel 1976 cropped.jpg Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
Justice Party
(AP)
5 January 197812 November 19791 year, 311 days Bülent Ecevit
14
(10)
Bulent Ecevit Cropped.jpg Bülent Ecevit
(1925–2006)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
12 November 197912 September 1980305 days Süleyman Demirel
Office Vacant (1980 - 1983)
15 No image.png Necdet Calp
(1922–1998)
Populist Party
(HP)
13 December 198327 June 19851 year, 196 days Turgut Özal
16 No image.png Aydın Güven Gürkan
(1941–2006)
27 June 19853 November 1985337 days Turgut Özal
Social Democrat Populist Party
(SHP)
3 November 198530 May 1986
17 Erdal Inonu (1941) (cropped).jpg Erdal İnönü
(1926–2007)
30 May 198620 November 19915 years, 174 days Turgut Özal
Yıldırım Akbulut
Mesut Yılmaz
18 Mesut Yilmaz as Turkish Prime Minister.jpg Mesut Yılmaz
(1947–2020)
Motherland Party
(ANAP)
21 November 19916 March 19964 years, 106 days Süleyman Demirel
Tansu Çiller
19 Necmettin Erbakan.jpg Necmettin Erbakan
(1926–2011)
Welfare Party
(RP)
6 March 199628 June 1996114 days Mesut Yılmaz
20
(18)
Mesut Yilmaz as Turkish Prime Minister.jpg Mesut Yılmaz
(1947–2020)
Motherland Party
(ANAP)
28 June 199630 June 19971 year, 2 days Necmettin Erbakan
21
(19)
Necmettin Erbakan.jpg Necmettin Erbakan
(1926–2011)
Welfare Party
(RP)
30 June 199717 December 1997170 days Mesut Yılmaz
22 No image.png İsmail Alptekin
(born 1943)
Virtue Party
(FP)
17 December 199714 May 1998148 days Mesut Yılmaz
23 Recai Kutan 2009 crop.jpg Recai Kutan
(born 1930)
14 May 199822 June 20013 years, 39 days Mesut Yılmaz
Bülent Ecevit
24 Turkish prime minister Tansu Ciller in Brussels.jpg Tansu Çiller
(born 1946)
True Path Party
(DYP)
22 June 200119 November 20021 year, 150 days Bülent Ecevit
25 Deniz Baykal headshot.jpg Deniz Baykal
(1938–2023)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
19 November 200222 May 20107 years, 184 days Abdullah Gül
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
26 Kemal Kilicdaroglu in March 2023 (cropped).png Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
(born 1948)
22 May 20105 November 202313 years, 315 days Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Ahmet Davutoğlu
Binali Yıldırım
27 Ozgur Ozel, September 17 2023 (cropped).jpg Özgür Özel
(born 1974)
5 November 2023Incumbent148 days Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Timeline

Özgür ÖzelKemal KılıçdaroğluDeniz BaykalTansu ÇillerRecai Kutanİsmail AlptekinNecmettin ErbakanMesut YılmazErdal İnönüAydın Güven GürkanNecdet CalpBülent EcevitSüleyman DemirelRagıp GümüşpalaEkrem Alicanİsmet İnönüCelâl BayarFethi OkyarKâzım KarabekirList of the Main Opposition Leaders of Turkey


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References

  1. Türkiye’nin 75 yılı, Tempo, ;İstanbul, 1998
  2. Official page of prime minister Archived 2013-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Official page of the parliament