View source for Süleyman Demirel

{{Short description|President of Turkey from 1993 to 2000}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder|
| name                = Süleyman Demirel
| nationality         = Turkish
| image               = File:Suleyman Demirel 1998.jpg
| image_size          = 
| office              = [[President of Turkey]]
| term_start          = 16 May 1993
| term_end            = 16 May 2000
| vicepresident       = 
| primeminister       = [[Tansu Çiller]]<br />[[Necmettin Erbakan]]<br />[[Mesut Yılmaz]]<br />[[Bülent Ecevit]]
| predecessor         = [[Hüsamettin Cindoruk]] (acting)
| successor           = [[Ahmet Necdet Sezer]]
| order2              = [[Prime Minister of Turkey]]
| term_start2         = 20 November 1991
| term_end2           = 16 May 1993
| deputy2             = [[Erdal İnönü]]
| president2          = [[Turgut Özal]]
| predecessor2        = [[Mesut Yılmaz]]
| successor2          = [[Erdal Inönü]] (acting)
| term_start3         = 12 November 1979
| term_end3           = 12 September 1980
| president3          = [[Fahri Korutürk]]
| predecessor3        = [[Bülent Ecevit]]
| successor3          = [[Bülend Ulusu]]
| term_start4         = 21 July 1977
| term_end4           = 5 January 1978
| deputy4             = [[Necmettin Erbakan]]<br />[[Alparslan Türkeş]]
| president4          = [[Fahri Korutürk]]
| predecessor4        = [[Bülent Ecevit]]
| successor4          = [[Bülent Ecevit]]
| term_start5         = 31 March 1975
| term_end5           = 21 June 1977
| deputy5             = [[Necmettin Erbakan]]<br />[[Turhan Feyzioğlu]]<br />[[Alparslan Türkeş]]
| president5          = [[Fahri Korutürk]]
| predecessor5        = [[Sadi Irmak]]
| successor5          = [[Bülent Ecevit]]
| term_start6         = 21 October 1965
| term_end6           = 16 March 1971
| president6          = [[Cemal Gürsel]] <br /> [[Cevdet Sunay]]
| predecessor6        = [[Suat Hayri Ürgüplü]]
| successor6          = [[Nihat Erim]]
| office7             = [[Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey]]
| term_start7         = 20 February 1965
| term_end7           = 21 October 1965
| predecessor7        = [[Kemal Satır]]
| primeminister7      = [[Suat Hayri Ürgüplü]]
| successor7          = [[Atilla Karaosmanoğlu]]<br /> [[Sadi Koçaş]]<br />(1971)
| office8             = Leader of the [[True Path Party]]
| term_start8         = 24 September 1987
| term_end8           = 16 May 1993
| predecessor8        = [[Hüsamettin Cindoruk]]
| successor8          = [[Tansu Çiller]]
| office9             = Leader of the [[Justice Party (Turkey)|Justice Party]]
| term_start9         = 28 November 1964
| term_end9           = 16 October 1981
| predecessor9        = [[Ragıp Gümüşpala]]
| successor9          = ''[[1980 Turkish coup d'état|Party abolished]]''
| office10            = [[Member of Parliament|Member]] of the [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Grand National Assembly]]
| term_start10        = 29 November 1987
| term_end10          = 16 May 1993
| constituency10      = [[Isparta (electoral district)|Isparta]] ([[1987 Turkish general election|1987]], [[1991 Turkish general election|1991]])
| term_start11        = 10 October 1965
| term_end11          = 12 September 1980
| constituency11      = [[Isparta (electoral district)|Isparta]] ([[1965 Turkish general election|1965]], [[1969 Turkish general election|1969]], [[1973 Turkish general election|1973]], [[1977 Turkish general election|1977]])
| birth_name          = 
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1924|11|1|df=y}}
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|2015|6|17|1924|11|1|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Atabey]], [[Isparta]], [[Turkey]]
| death_place         = [[Ankara]], [[Republic of Türkiye]]
| resting_place       = [[Atabey]], [[Republic of Türkiye]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|[[Nazmiye Demirel]]|1948|2013|end=died}}
| children            = 
| party               = [[Justice Party (Turkey)|Justice Party]] (1964 - 1981)<br>[[True Path Party]] (1987 - 1993)
| alma_mater          = [[Istanbul Technical University]]
| profession          = Civil engineer
| signature           = Süleyman Demirel signature.png
| signature_alt       = 
| website             = 
| caption             = Demirel in 1998
}}
'''Sami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel''' ({{IPA|tr|sylejˈman deˈmiɾæl|lang}}; 1 November 1924 – 17 June 2015)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FN3JDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA8|title=Çoban Sülü: Türk siyasetinin son 50 yılına fötr şapkası ve renkli kişiliğinin yanı sıra, hiç çocuğu olmadığı halde 'Baba' lakabıyla damga vuran 9. Cumhurbaşkanı Süleyman Demirel, "Akşam olunca kapısını kilitlemeden yatabilen, sabaha karşı kapıyı çalanların polis olmadığını düşünen bir Türkiye" hayaliyle aramızdan ayrıldı.|first=Eren|last=Sarı|year=2016|publisher=Nokta ekitap|via=Google Books}}</ref> was a [[Turkish people|Turkish]] politician, engineer, and statesman who served as the [[president of Turkey]] from 1993 to 2000. He previously served as the [[prime minister of Turkey]] seven times between 1965 and 1993. He was the leader of the [[Justice Party (Turkey)|Justice Party]] (AP) from 1964 to 1980 and the leader of the [[True Path Party]] (DYP) from 1987 to 1993.

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 Turkish general election|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 (Turkey, historical)|Democrat Party]], he was re-elected as premier in [[1969 Turkish general election|1969]] by winning a parliamentary majority for a second time. Despite his [[Economy of Turkey|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 [[39th government of Turkey|First Nationalist Front]], which collapsed in 1977. He formed the [[41st government of Turkey|Second Nationalist Front]] cabinet in 1977, which collapsed in 1978. Demirel's [[43rd government of Turkey|minority government]] in 1979 was unable to [[1980 Turkish presidential election|elect a president in 1980]], leading to the [[1980 Turkish coup d'état]] which banned Demirel from politics. Returning to politics in [[1987 Turkish constitutional referendum|1987]], he assumed the leadership of the True Path Party. He won the [[1991 Turkish general election|1991 general election]] and formed a coalition with the [[Social Democratic Populist Party (Turkey)|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 Turkish presidential election|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]].

==Family==
Süleyman Demirel was born on 1 November 1924, İslamköy, [[Atabey]], a town in [[Isparta Province]] to [[Hajji|Hacı]] Yahya Demirel (1894–1972) and Hacı Ümmühan Demirel (1902–1979). 

He was a shepherd in his childhood, which set him apart from the traditional political elite of the country, usually from the military-bureaucratic or the landowning elite, something Demirel used for his public image: because of his rise from a humble background, the rural masses in particular admired him. These conservative masses further identified with him when he projected the image of a proud Muslim, reminding the public that his father did the [[Hajj]], that in his home, the [[Quran|Qur'an]] was read on a daily basis when he was a child, or that the name of his village, "İslamköy", means "village of Islam".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jenkins |first=Gareth |title=Political Islam in Turkey: Running West, Heading East? |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |year=2008 |pages=127–128}}</ref>

Upon completing elementary school in his hometown, he attended middle and high schools in Isparta, [[Muğla]], and [[Afyon]]. In 1948, he married [[Nazmiye Demirel|Nazmiye Şener]], his second cousin.

==Engineering career==
After graduating from the school of [[civil engineering]] at the [[Istanbul Technical University]] in 1949,<ref name="sabah" /> Süleyman Demirel worked in the [[United States Department of State|State Department]] for electrical power planning. He undertook postgraduate studies on [[irrigation]], electrical technologies, and [[dam]] construction in the [[United States]], first in 1949–1950, then in 1954–1955. During the construction of the [[Seyhan Dam]], Demirel worked as a project engineer and in 1954 was appointed director of the Department of Dams. In 1955, he served as director general of the [[State Hydraulic Works (Turkey)|State Hydraulic Works]] (DSİ). As such, Demirel supervised the construction of a various power plants, dams and irrigation facilities.<ref name="sabah"/> [[Eisenhower Fellowships]] selected Süleyman Demirel in 1954 to represent Turkey.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kinzer|first1=Stephen|title=Suleyman Demirel, Seven Times Turkey's Prime Minister, Dies at 90|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/world/europe/suleyman-demirel-former-prime-minister-of-turkey-dies-at-90.html?_r=0|access-date=20 June 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=16 June 2015}}</ref>

After the [[1960 Turkish coup d'état|coup d'état]] in 1960, he was drafted to the [[Turkish Army]] for [[Conscription in Turkey|compulsory military service]].<ref name="sabah" /> Upon completion of his military service, he worked as a freelance engineer and a representative of the [[Morrison Construction Company]], a U.S. company. During this period, he also worked as a part-time lecturer of [[hydraulic engineering]] at the [[Middle East Technical University]] (ODTÜ) in Ankara.<ref name=for>{{cite web|title=Süleyman DEMİREL|url=http://www.mfa.gov.tr/suleyman-demirel.en.mfa|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey)|Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]|access-date=20 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325173542/http://www.mfa.gov.tr/suleyman-demirel.en.mfa|archive-date=25 March 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Entry to politics==
His political career started with his election to the executive board of the [[Justice Party (Turkey)|Justice Party]],<ref name=for/> founded by the former general [[Ragıp Gümüşpala]] as a replacement of the [[Democratic Party (Turkey, historical)|Democrat Party]] that was banned after the [[1960 Turkish coup d'état|military coup of 27 May 1960]]. Journalist and MP [[Cihat Baban]] claims in ''The Gallery of Politics (Politika Galerisi)'', that President [[Cemal Gürsel]] told him:

{{blockquote|We may solve all troubles if Süleyman Demirel can become the head of the Justice Party (Adalet Partisi). I am working very hard for him to become the party leader. If I succeed in this, I will be happy.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Baban|first1=Cihad|title=Politika galerisi|date=2009|publisher=Timaş|location=Istanbul|isbn=978-9752639669|language=tr}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=June 2015}}}}Demirel's rural, central Anatolian accent and the fact that he came from a village from the countryside made him very appealing to rural voters.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Heper|first1=Metin|title=Political Parties and Democracy in Turkey|last2=Landau|first2=Jacob M.|publisher=I.B. Tauris|year=1991|isbn=1-85043-300-3|pages=189–191|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Lyndon Johnson and Süleyman Demirel in 1962.jpg|thumb|left|U.S. Vice President [[Lyndon B. Johnson|Lyndon Johnson]] and Süleyman Demirel at a ceremony honoring the [[United States Agency for International Development]] (28 August 1962)]]

On 22 March 1963, the imprisoned former president [[Celâl Bayar|Celal Bayar]] was released on parole, causing protests in front of Justice Party headquarters. Demirel resigned from his position during the ordeal, and claimed that "There wouldn't be democracy in this country for another 50 years".{{citation needed|reason=Reference required for a direct quote|date=June 2015}} He remained politically inactive until the death of Ragıp Gümüşpala in June 1964 when he re-entered politics as a candidate for chairman of the party. However, Demirel faced strong opposition. His biggest rival was Sadettin Bilgiç, nicknamed "koca reis" (Turkish: "big captain"). Bilgiç supporters accused Demirel of being a [[freemason]]; While this was true, Demirel averted the crisis with a lie. Instead of writing to his own lodge, he petitioned a separate freemason's lodge asking whether he was a member or not. As expected, the lodge chairman answered negatively. This turned the tide in Demirel's favor, and he received enough votes to become the chairman of the Justice Party, receiving 1,072 votes to Bilgiç's 552, and Tekin Arıburun's 39.<ref name =sabah>{{cite news|last1=Arslanbenzer|first1=Hakan|title=Süleyman Demirel: Dream for a 'Great Turkey'
|url=http://www.dailysabah.com/portrait/2015/06/19/suleyman-demirel-dream-for-a-great-turkey|access-date=20 June 2015|work=[[Daily Sabah]]|date=19 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ahmad|first=Feroz |title=The Turkish Experiment in Democracy: 1950-1975 |publisher=C. Hurst and Co. (Publishers) Ltd |year=1977 |isbn=0-903983-54-0 |location=London |pages=234–235|author-link=Feroz Ahmad}}</ref>

Demirel was elected chairman at the second grand party convention on 28 November 1964. He facilitated the formation of a [[29th government of Turkey|caretaker government]] that ruled between February and October 1965 under the premiership of [[Suat Hayri Ürgüplü]] in which he served as [[Deputy Prime Minister]]. Under his leadership, the Justice Party won an unprecedented majority of the votes in the [[1965 Turkish general election|1965 general election]] and formed a [[30th government of Turkey|majority government]]. Demirel thus became the youngest-ever Prime Minister in Turkish history at the age of 40.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Akkoc|first1=Raziye|title=Suleyman Demirel, former Turkish president, dies at 90|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/11680058/Suleyman-Demirel-former-Turkish-president-dies-at-90.html|access-date=20 June 2015|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=17 June 2015}}</ref>

== First premiership ==
[[File:Hoveida and Demirel.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister of Iran [[Amir-Abbas Hoveida]] and Demirel, [[Tehran]] c. 1970]]

Demirel was one of the first of a new generation born in the 1920s that were now entering politics known as the "Republican Generation", during which heroes of the [[Turkish War of Independence]] such as İsmet İnönü, Celâl Bayar and Ragıp Gümüşpala were gradually withdrawing from politics.

Shortly after coming to power he faced was the "Presidential crisis" when Cemal Gürsel, who assumed the presidency after the adoption of the [[Turkish Constitution of 1961|1961 Constitution]], stated that his poor health prevented him from continuing his duty. Demirel nominated the Chief of the General Staff, [[Cevdet Sunay]] for the presidency in order to soften the army's attitude towards the Justice Party, who became president in 1966.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Berkan|first=İsmet|date=22 December 2006|title=Demirel 1966'da neden cumhurbaşkanı olmadı?|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php/?haberno=208018|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005023141/http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=208018|archive-date=5 October 2013|newspaper=[[Radikal]]}}</ref>

In the next [[1969 Turkish general election|elections]] on 10 October 1969, his party was the sole winner by a landslide once again. Demirel presided over laying the foundations of the [[Keban Dam]], the [[Bosphorus Bridge]] and an oil pipeline between [[Batman Province|Batman]] and [[İskenderun]]. Economic reforms stabilized [[inflation]], and Turkey became one of the fastest growing economies. However boycotts and strikes by university students in 1968 began political instability which especially concerned the Turkish military. Pressure was also mounting from the United States, as the [[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Nixon Administration]] wished for Turkey to ban the cultivation of opium, which would have been politically costly for Demirel to implement. Demirel also had trouble brewing inside his own party, as he attempted to issue an amnesty to ex-Democrats, he was effectively vetoed by the [[Turkish Armed Forces|armed forces]]. As a result, in 1970, several ex-DP deputies left the Justice Party to found the [[Democratic Party (Turkey, 1970)|Democratic Party]], while the Islamists also left to found the [[National Order Party]] under [[Necmettin Erbakan]].

==The chaotic seventies==
{{Main|Political violence in Turkey (1976–1980)}}

=== 1971 memorandum===
{{Main|1971 Turkish military memorandum}}
A worsening economy, the 15–16 June events, one of the biggest workers' protests in the history of Turkey; disagreements between the government and military over the [[Cyprus dispute]], escalations of tensions with Greece, and conflict between leftists and rightists served to define the last years of Demirel's first premiership as politically unstable. He blamed the liberal constitution for the crisis. He resigned as prime minister after his budget was blocked by parliament but formed his [[32nd government of Turkey|third government]] shortly after. A military coup attempt by National Democratic Revolutionaries on 9 March 1971 finally resulted in a [[1971 Turkish military memorandum|direct military intervention]] on 12 March, and Demirel resigned for a military-supported government under Nihat Erim.

The constitutional amendments that Demirel wished for were implemented during technocratic military governance which relied on support from parliament. In the spring of 1973, with the [[1973 Turkish presidential election|presidential election]] on the agenda, to counter the army's influence over national politics, he reached an agreement with the new leader of the [[Republican People's Party]] (CHP), [[Bülent Ecevit]], to support [[Fahri Korutürk]] as president instead of former chief of staff of Turkish Military [[Faruk Gürler]]. During the election process, tanks were positioned near [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey]] to indicate to MPs that the armed forces might intervene.

===Nationalist Front governments===
With the Justice Party emerging second in the [[1973 Turkish general election|general election]] in 1973, a grand CHP-AP coalition was expected. However, Demirel announced that "We can only come together in war." CHP instead formed a coalition with Erbakan's new Islamist party, the [[National Salvation Party]] (MSP).<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 August 2017|title=12 Eylül Belgeseli 1. Bölüm {{!}} Renklerin Çatışması {{!}} 32.Gün Arşivi|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uk6iOJ6phk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119063722/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uk6iOJ6phk|archive-date=19 November 2019|website=YouTube}}</ref> Ecevit's government carried out the [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|Invasion of Cyprus]], but ideological conflicts in the government prompted Ecevit to resign on 18 September 1974 and hold early elections. However early elections never happened, and instead [[Sadi Irmak]] had to head a [[38th government of Turkey|caretaker government]] that lasted for 194 days from 18 September until 31 March, when, under the leadership of Demirel, a right-wing coalition government, the "[[39th government of Turkey|First Nationalist Front]]", was established consisting of the Justice Party, MSP, the [[Nationalist Movement Party]] (MHP), and the [[Republican Reliance Party]]. In order for the coalition to survive, Islamist MSP supporters and ultranationalist MHP members were recruited within state institutions, intensifying the renewed political violence of the 1970s; 42 people were killed in a 1977 May Day rally at [[Taksim Square massacre|Taksim Square]]. The country entered an economic depression caused by a [[1973 oil crisis|rise in global petrol prices]], deficit in foreign payments and rapid inflation. Süleyman Demirel's nephew, Yahya Kemal Demirel, was arrested for corruption after an investigation by the journalist [[Uğur Mumcu]] during this period.

Despite gaining support in the [[1977 Turkish general election|1977 elections]] the Justice Party again lost to CHP, which received 41.4 percent of the vote. However, Ecevit was not able to form a government, so Demirel became prime minister again, forming the [[41st government of Turkey|Second Nationalist Front]] with only MSP and MHP. This government fell in a no-confidence vote on 31 December 1977, in what was known as the Güneş Motel Incident, where 13 Justice Party MPs defected from their party to support a CHP government where they received cabinet positions. Demirel refused to establish a dialogue with the CHP-dominated government and conducted a vicious opposition to Ecevit by referring to him as "[[head of government]]" instead of "[[prime minister]]". Referring to Ecevit's government, Demirel said "In no country in the world, could such a government [Ecevit's] with 1200 deaths, 70% inflation, disrepute, cruelty, torture, unjust and merciless partisanship stand for even one day. A cadre that has exceeded its ambition has usurped the administration." On 21 February 1979, he announced to President Korutürk that they were against the extension of [[martial law]].

[[File:Vizita oficială a președintelui Nicolae Ceaușescu în Turcia. Întrevederea cu primul ministru Suleyman Demirel.jpg|thumb|[[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] and Demirel, 1976]]

The troubles brought by [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus#United States arms embargo on Turkey and Republic of Cyprus|American embargo]], inflation, and escalating political violence meant Ecevit lost the 1979 by-elections, prompting his resignation. Demirel returned as prime minister, and established [[43rd government of Turkey|a minority government]] due to the negative atmosphere created by the Nationalist Front governments (MSP and MHP still provided confidence). His last premiership before the 1980 coup saw the implementation of the 24 January decisions which proved to be a turning point in Turkey's transition to a [[Neoliberalism|neoliberal]] economy. With political violence and assassinations at an all-time high, top military generals delivered a memorandum to President Korutürk, urging for politicians to put aside their differences to solve the country's problems, but this memorandum did nothing to get Demirel and Ecevit to cooperate. As Fahri Korutürk's presidential term was ending, a crisis brewed as to who would succeed him, with Demirel and Ecevit [[1980 Turkish presidential election|failing 115 times]] to elect a new president. Demirel's government lasted until the coup of [[1980 Turkish coup d'état|12 September 1980]], which banned him from politics.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Barchard|first1=David|title=Süleyman Demirel obituary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/17/suleyman-demirel|access-date=20 June 2015|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=17 June 2015}}</ref>

Demirel opened 268 [[İmam Hatip school]]s in his premierships between 1965 and 1980, becoming one of the politicians who opened the most İmam Hatip schools.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Öcal|first=Mustafa|chapter=Dünden Bugüne İmam Hatip Liseleri (1913-2013)|title=100. Yılında İmam Hatip Liseleri|url=https://www.academia.edu/25919388|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520130157/https://www.academia.edu/25919388/D%C3%9CNDEN_BUG%C3%9CNE_%C4%B0MAM_HAT%C4%B0P_L%C4%B0SELER%C4%B0_1913_2013_100_YILINDA_%C4%B0MAM_HAT%C4%B0P_L%C4%B0SELER%C4%B0?auto=download|archive-date=20 May 2021}}</ref>

==Ban from politics==
{{Main|1980 Turkish coup d'état}}
With the military coup on 12 September 1980, Demirel's prime ministership ended and he was kept under surveillance in Hamzaköy, [[Gelibolu]](Gallipoli)for a month. He did not resign as chairman of the Justice Party until it was dissolved in 1981. With a provisional article in the new [[Constitution of Turkey|Constitution]], he and most politicians were banned from politics for 10 years. However, he maintained ties with his party's former leaders. After political parties were allowed to be established in May 1983, Demirel declared, "I do not build shanty houses on my land with a title deed." He did not support the party that the military administration tried to have [[Bülend Ulusu]] founded, the [[Nationalist Democracy Party]], nor the [[Motherland Party (Turkey)|Motherland Party]] (ANAP) led by his protégé [[Turgut Özal]]. On 20 May 1983, the [[Great Turkey Party]] (BTP) was established by former Justice Party members, but it was swiftly banned by the [[National Security Council (Turkey)|National Security Council]] on the grounds that it was a continuation of the Justice Party. Demirel, along with former CHP and Justice Party members was forced to stay for four months in [[Zincirbozan]], [[Çanakkale]], on the grounds that he violated the political ban.

== Last premiership ==
[[File:Mitsotakis and Demirel in 1992.jpg|thumb|Greek Prime Minister [[Konstantinos Mitsotakis]] at the [[World Economic Forum]], 1992]]

In 1986, Demirel launched a successful campaign for the lifting of pre-1980 politicians' political bans and initiated a [[1987 Turkish constitutional referendum|referendum]] on the issue.<ref name="efworld.org">{{Cite web |title=Eisenhower Fellows |url=https://www.efworld.org/about-us/meet-our-staff/suleyman-sami-demirel |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912192824/https://www.efworld.org/about-us/meet-our-staff/suleyman-sami-demirel |archive-date=12 September 2017 |access-date=12 September 2017 }}</ref> Only 18 days after his political ban was rescinded, he was elected chairman at the extraordinary convention of the [[True Path Party]] (DYP), a new successor party to the Justice Party. He was re-elected Deputy of Isparta in the [[1987 Turkish general election|1987 general election]].<ref name="efworld.org" />

Following the [[1991 Turkish general election|1991 election]], Süleyman Demirel became prime minister once again in [[49th government of Turkey|a coalition government]] with the [[Social Democratic Populist Party (Turkey)|Social Democratic Populist Party]]. Demirel acknowledged the distinction of [[Kurds]] being a different ethnicity from [[Turkish people|Turks]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bila |first=Fikret |date=17 August 2005 |title=Demirel'in 'Kürt realitesi' ile Erdoğan'ın 'Kürt sorunu' |url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2005/08/17/yazar/bila.html |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005020751/http://www.milliyet.com.tr/2005/08/17/yazar/bila.html |archive-date=5 October 2013 |work=[[Milliyet]]}}</ref> reformed criminal procedure law, removed the ban on all party names and abbreviations accumulated from military coups, and ratified international conventions on trade union freedoms. The "Green Card" social security program was also established<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hatun|first=Şükrü |title="Yeşil Kart"a dokunmayın!|url=https://www.ttb.org.tr/TD/TD85/2.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005075701/http://www.ttb.org.tr/TD/TD85/2.html |archive-date=5 October 2013 |website=Türk Tabipler Birliği}}</ref> and the age requirement for retirement was abolished.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tezel |first=Ali |date=5 October 2010 |title=Yaşı bekleyenlere bir defalık emeklilik hakkı gelir mi?|url=http://www.alitezel.com/index.php?sid=yazi&id=4048 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209182248/http://alitezel.com/index.php?sid=yazi&id=4048 |archive-date=9 February 2014|website=Ali Tezel}}</ref> While the government had success combating far-left terrorist groups, the assassinations of journalist [[Uğur Mumcu]] and [[Gendarmerie General Command|Gendarme]] commander [[Eşref Bitlis]] shocked the country. Though both coalition partners advocated for ending the [[OHAL]] zone and the [[village guard system]] in southeast Anatolia, [[Operation Provide Comfort]] meant the policies had to continue in the unstable region.

During this period, he carried out a strong opposition to his protégé and soon president, Turgut Özal, with whom he prepared the 24 January Decisions.

==Presidency==
After the sudden death of Özal, Demirel was elected [[1993 Turkish presidential election|the ninth President of Turkey]] in 1993 by the [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Grand National Assembly]]. Resigning his party chairmanship, his successor for leadership of DYP became Turkey's first female prime minister, [[Tansu Çiller]].

President Demirel drew backlash from statements he made in the aftermath of the [[Sivas massacre|Sivas Massacre]] in which 35 intellectuals –most of whom were [[Alevism|Alevi]]– lost their lives when they were trapped in a burning hotel by a mob, which took place just one and a half months after he became president. He said, "The incident is an isolated incident. There was heavy provocation. As a result of this provocation, the people were agitated... The security forces did their best... There was no conflict between the groups. There was [only] loss of life due to the burning of the hotel."

[[File:Süleyman Demirel with Bill Clinton.jpg|thumb|[[Bill Clinton]] and Demirel, 1999]]

Demirel gave Azerbaijani President [[Heydar Aliyev]] advanced notice of an [[1995 Azerbaijani coup d'état attempt|upcoming coup attempt]] against his government backed by various factions of the Turkish army and intelligence services. President Demirel survived an assassination attempt in 1996 in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a shopping mall in İzmit. The would be assassin, İbrahim Gümrükçüoğlu said in his defence that he did not intend to kill the president, but that he intended to shoot into the air with his pistol to protest [[Israel–Turkey relations|Turkey's military cooperation agreement with Israel]]. Doctors later diagnosed Gümrükçüoğlu with [[paranoia]].

Demirel's role in the 1997 "[[1997 Turkish military memorandum|Postmodern Coup]]" is controversial, with some accusing him of leading the effort to bring down Necmittin Erbakan's [[54th government of Turkey|REFAHYOL]] government<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arınç Demirel'i hedef aldı: 28 Şubat'ın başaktörü |url=https://www.ulusalkanal.com.tr/gundem/tgbliler-mumtazer-turkoneyi-fena-yakaladigundem/milletvekillerine-rekor-zamyurt/akpli-ciftci-akpye-isyan-ettikultur-sanat/insanliki-kesti-cezayiri-dikecekgundem/ermeni-soykirimi-yalanini-yasar-kemale-sormayingundem/akpli-kuzu-hesabimiz-tutmadigunde-h9408.html |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105145451/http://www.ulusalkanal.com.tr/gundem/arinc-demireli-hedef-aldi-28-subatin-basaktoru-h9408.html |archive-date=5 November 2013 |website=Ulusal Kanal}}</ref> while others claimed that he prevented a complete military takeover by easing the tension. He did not appoint his once protegé Tansu Çiller prime minister after the ordeal, but instead ANAP chairman [[Mesut Yılmaz]]. Erbakan's [[Welfare Party]], Ciller's DYP and the [[Great Unity Party|BBP]] opposed the move.<ref>{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4FNGsov6Cw |title=Refahyol Hükümetinin İstifası ile ilgili Basın Açıklaması - 21 Haziran 1997|date=21 June 1997|last=Türk |first=Alican |type=Video |language=tr}}</ref>

In 1997, Demirel participated in a conference organized by the Journalists and Writers Foundation, of which [[Fethullah Gülen]] was its honorary chairman, and received the "Statesman National Reconciliation Award" from him.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x81eo19 |title=Demirel'den Fetullah Gülen'e övgüler! |type=Video |language=tr |publisher=Yeni Akit Gazetesi}}</ref>

Though there was an attempt to extend his presidential term by another five years, Demirel stepped down from the presidency on 5 April. He handed over his duty to [[Ahmet Necdet Sezer]] on 16 May 2000. With his retirement from politics, his overall tenure as prime minister was shorter than only İsmet İnönü's and [[Recep Tayyip Erdogan]]'s.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

==Later life and death==
[[File:Süleyman Demirel Funeral 4.jpg|thumb|Demirel's funeral]]

Following his retirement from politics, Demirel was a frequent panelist and speaker at several events, mostly in universities, within [[Turkey]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Demirel was a member of the committee that drafted the [[Mitchell Report (Arab–Israeli conflict)|Mitchell Report]] in 2001, which investigated the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the midst of the [[Second Intifada]] and offered recommendations to reduce tensions.<ref name="Sontag 2001 d329">{{cite web | last=Sontag | first=Deborah | title=A New Mideast Balance Sheet: The Mitchell Report Offers No Easy Way Out | website=The New York Times | date=7 May 2001 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/07/world/a-new-mideast-balance-sheet-the-mitchell-report-offers-no-easy-way-out.html | access-date=21 October 2023}}</ref>  

His wife [[Nazmiye Demirel|Nazmiye]] died on 27 May 2013, in the hospital where she was treated for [[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer]]'s.

Süleyman Demirel died on 17 June 2015 at the Güven hospital in Ankara where he had been undergoing treatment for a respiratory tract infection. After the state ceremony in the [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Turkish Grand National Assembly]] and a religious ceremony at [[Kocatepe Mosque]] on 19 June 2015, Demirel's body was taken to a mausoleum in his hometown of Atabey, Isparta.<ref>{{cite news|title=Turkey's ninth president Suleyman Demirel passes away|url=http://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/539002--turkeys-ninth-president-suleyman-demirel-passes-away|access-date=20 June 2015|agency=[[Anadolu Agency]]|date=17 June 2015}}</ref> In 2019, the Süleyman Demirel Mausoleum was completed and opened to visitors.

==Legacy==
[[File:Süleyman Demirel Heykeli 2481.jpg|left|thumb|Statue of Süleyman Demirel]]

Demirel achieved many firsts throughout his political career. He formed the most governments, was longest serving prime minister in Turkish political history following İsmet İnönü and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and was the youngest prime minister at the age of 41. He also broke the records for the youngest politician to become a party leader at the age of 40, and the youngest general manager appointed to a public institution at the age of 30.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 March 2013|title=Başbakan Menderes'in rekorunu geçti|url=https://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2013/03/19/basbakan-menderesin-rekorunu-gecti|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530011916/http://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2013/03/19/basbakan-menderesin-rekorunu-gecti|archive-date=30 May 2016|website=[[Sabah (newspaper)|Sabah]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Süleyman DEMİREL|url=https://www.mfa.gov.tr/default.en.mfa|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717014848/http://www.mfa.gov.tr/suleyman-demirel.tr.mfa|archive-date=17 July 2013|website=Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs}}</ref>

The [[Süleyman Demirel Airport]] and [[Süleyman Demirel University]], both of which are in [[Isparta]] are named after him. So are the Süleyman Demirel Stadium in [[Antalya]], the Süleyman Demirel Medical Centre of the [[Atatürk University]] in [[Erzurum]] and [[Suleyman Demirel University]] in [[Kazakhstan]]. There are also two important [[main street]]s named after him: one in Istanbul and the other in [[Muğla]]. In 2014 Süleyman Demirel Democracy and Development Museum was opened in Isparta.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/politika/suleyman_demirel_demokrasi_ve_kalkinma_muzesi_acildi-1221400|title=Sleyman Demirel Demokrasi ve Kalknma Mzesi ald|work=Radikal|language=tr}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
Süleyman Demirel was often nicknamed ''Baba'' (''The Father'') or ''Çoban <abbr title="Süleyman">Sülü</abbr>'' (''Sülü the Shepherd'') and humorously ''Spartacus'', after his native city of Isparta. His [[fedora|fedora hat]] was a famous part of his image.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fedora-hat-of-turkeys-ninth-president-and-former-prime-news-photo/477678250|title=Turkey's 9th President Suleyman Demirel dies at 91|author=Anadolu Agency|work=Getty Images|date=19 June 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Hats: A Political Symbol of Turkish History|url=http://www.ekrembugraekinci.com/makale.asp?id=603|website=Ekrembugraekinci.com|access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref>

With the song "Demirbaş" on the album ''Yadigâr'' (1995), [[Fikret Kızılok]] humorously described Demirel's inability to stay away from the political scene. "Süleyman", one of the hit songs of [[Barış Manço]]'s 1992 album ''[[:tr:Mega Manço|Mega Manço]]'', was another satire of Demirel. He was portrayed by [[Haldun Boysan]] in the 2007 movie ''[[:tr:Zincirbozan (film)|Zincirbozan]]''. There are also references to Demirel in [[Cem Karaca]]'s ''Raptiye''. Demirel appeared as a guest actor in the film ''The President in the Other Turkey''. Nejmi Aykar portrayed Demirel in the TV series ''[[Once Upon a Time in Cyprus]]'', which was broadcast on [[TRT 1]].

Although Demirel had retired, whenever there was political distress, Turkish media or his followers (humorously or otherwise) called on him with the words "Kurtar bizi baba" ("Father, save us"). 

=== Quotes ===
Demirel was a skillful orator and is known for producing many memorable quotes and quips with journalists.

His most famous quote is "Dün dündür, bugün bugündür" ("Yesterday is yesterday, today is today"), which he said in response to those questioning his pragmatism. However he would also say: "Not everybody can wriggle out of the issue by saying 'Yesterday was yesterday, today is today' like I did." 

"Benzin vardı da biz mi içtik?" ("Did we drink the gasoline, as if there were any?"), he said when defending his actions during the [[1970s energy crisis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/milliyet-tv/suleyman-demirel-benzin-vardi-da-biz-mi-ictik-video-4597335|title=Süleyman Demirel - Benzin vardı da biz mi içtik?|work=Milliyet|date=11 September 2019 |access-date=19 November 2022}}</ref>

When speaking to a reporter when tensions were heightened with Greece due to the [[Aegean dispute]] he said: "Ege bir Yunan gölü değildir. Ege bir Türk gölü de değildir. Binaenaleyh Ege bir göl değildir." ("The Aegean is not a Greek lake. The Aegean is not a Turkish lake. Therefore, the Aegean is not even a lake.")

== Awards ==
* [[Poland]]     : [[File:POL Order Orła Białego BAR.svg|80x80px]] [[Order of the White Eagle (Poland)|Order of the White Eagle]], 28 October 1993
* [[Croatia]]    : [[File:Ribbon of an order of king Tomislav.png|80x80px]] [[Grand Order of King Tomislav]], 7 July 1994<ref>{{cite web|url=http://royalcroatia.tripod.com/orders.htm|title=Untitled Document|website=Royalcroatia.tripod.com|access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref>
* [[Kyrgyzstan]] : [[File:KRG Order Manas.png|80x80px]] [[Order of Manas]], 13 November 1998<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/act/view/ru-ru/2919 | title=Указ Президента КР от 13 ноября 1998 года УП №357 " О награждении орденом "Манас" I степени С.Демиреля" }}</ref>
* [[Azerbaijan]] : [[File:AZ Istiglal Order ribbon 2009.png|80x80px]] [[Istiglal Order]], 12 June 1999<ref>{{cite web |title=Türkiyə Cümhuriyyətinin Prezidenti Süleyman Dəmirəlin "İstiqlal" ordeni ilə təltif edilməsi haqqında haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN FƏRMANI |trans-title=Order of the President of Azerbaijan Republic on awarding President of Turkey Suleyman Demiral with Istiglal Order |url=http://e-qanun.az/print.php?internal=view&target=1&docid=5350&doctype=0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315172715/http://e-qanun.az/print.php?internal=view&target=1&docid=5350&doctype=0 |archive-date=15 March 2012 |access-date=20 January 2011 |language=tr }}</ref> 
* [[Italy]]      : [[File:Cordone di gran Croce di Gran Cordone OMRI BAR.svg|80x80px]] [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]], 7 October 1996
* [[Estonia]]    : [[File:EST Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana - 1st Class BAR.svg|80x80px]] [[Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana]], 1997
* [[Romania]]    : [[File:Order of the Star of Romania - Ribbon bar.svg|80x80px]] [[Order of the Star of Romania]], 1999
* [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] : [[File:GEO Golden Fleece Order BAR.svg|80x80px]] [[Order of the Golden Fleece (Georgia)|Order of the Golden Fleece]], 1999
* [[Bulgaria]]   : [[File:BUL Order Stara planina ribbon.svg|80x80px]] Order of Stara Planina, 16 March 1999<ref>[https://www.ciela.net/svobodna-zona-darjaven-vestnik/document/-1623444991/issue/670 Държавен вестник, брой 24 от 16.III]</ref>
* [[Germany]]    : [[File:GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 9 Sond des Grosskreuzes.svg|80x80px]] [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]], 6 April 2000
* [[Kazakhstan]] : [[File:OrdenBars 1kl rib.png|80x80px]] Order of the Leopard, 27 August 2001<ref>{{cite web | url=https://online.zakon.kz/Document/?doc_id=1024492|title=Указ Президента Республики Казахстан от 27 августа 2001 года № 673 О награждении орденом «Барыс» I степени С.Демиреля }}</ref>
* [[Moldova]]    : [[File:MD Orden of Republicl Rib.png|80x80px]]  [[Order of the Republic (Moldova)|Order of the Republic]], 1 November 2004<ref>{{cite web |title=privind conferirea "Ordinului Republicii" Excelenюei Sale domnului Sьleyman DEMIREL |url=http://lex.justice.md/index.php?action=view&view=doc&lang=1&id=289677 |publisher=Republica Moldova |access-date=19 November 2022 |date=1 November 2004}}</ref>
* [[Azerbaijan]] : [[File:AZ Sharaf Order ribbon (type 2).svg|80x80px]] [[Sharaf Order]], 1 November 2013<ref>{{cite web |title=Süleyman Dəmirəlin "Şərəf" ordeni ilə təltif edilməsi haqqında Azərbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin Sərəncamı |url=https://president.az/az/articles/view/9908 |date= 1 November 2013 |access-date=31 July 2022 |language=az }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Conservatism in Turkey]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.tccb.gov.tr/sayfa/cumhurbaskanlarimiz/suleyman_demirel/ Official Website of the Presidents of the Republic of Turkey] {{in lang|tr}}

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{{Presidents of Turkey}}
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[[Category:1924 births]]
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