List of the Main Opposition Leaders of Turkey

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.

Main Opposition Leader
Ana Muhalefet Lideri
Logo of the largest opposition party
Incumbent
Özgür Özel
since 5 November 2023
ResidenceNo official residence
AppointerLargest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet
Term lengthWhile leader of the largest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet
Inaugural holderKâzım Karabekir (One-party period)
Celâl Bayar (Multi-party period)
Formation17 October 1924 (One-party period)
7 January 1946 (Multi-party period)

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

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No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Party Term of office Head of government
Took office Left office Time in office
1   Kâzım Karabekir
(1882–1948)
Progressive Republican Party
(TCF)
17 October 1924 3 June 1925 229 days İsmet İnönü
Fethi Okyar
Office vacant (3 June 1925 – 12 August 1930)
2   Fethi Okyar
(1880–1943)
Liberal Republican Party
(SCF)
12 August 1930 17 November 1930 97 days İsmet İnönü
Office vacant (17 November 1930 – 7 January 1946)
3   Celâl Bayar
(1883–1986)
Democrat Party
(DP)
7 January 1946 14 May 1950 4 years, 127 days Şükrü Saracoğlu
Recep Peker
Hasan Saka
Şemsettin Günaltay
4   İsmet İnönü
(1884–1973)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
22 May 1950 27 May 1960 10 years, 5 days Adnan Menderes
Office vacant (27 May 1960 – 20 November 1961)
5   Ekrem Alican
(1916–2000)
New Turkey Party
(YTP)
20 November 1961 25 June 1962 217 days İsmet İnönü
6   Ragıp Gümüşpala
(1897–1964)
Justice Party
(AP)
25 June 1962 6 June 1964 1 year, 347 days İsmet İnönü
7   Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
Justice Party
(AP)
6 June 1964 20 February 1965 259 days İsmet İnönü
8
(4)
  İsmet İnönü
(1884–1973)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
20 February 1965 26 March 1971 6 years, 34 days Suat Hayri Ürgüplü
Süleyman Demirel
9
(7)
  Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
Justice Party
(AP)
26 January 1974 17 November 1974 295 days Bülent Ecevit
10   Bülent Ecevit
(1925–2006)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
31 March 1975 21 June 1977 2 years, 82 days Süleyman Demirel
11
(7)
  Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
Justice Party
(AP)
21 June 1977 21 July 1977 30 days Bülent Ecevit
12
(10)
  Bülent Ecevit
(1925–2006)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
21 July 1977 5 January 1978 168 days Süleyman Demirel
13
(7)
  Süleyman Demirel
(1924–2015)
Justice Party
(AP)
5 January 1978 12 November 1979 1 year, 311 days Bülent Ecevit
14
(10)
  Bülent Ecevit
(1925–2006)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
12 November 1979 12 September 1980 305 days Süleyman Demirel
Office vacant (12 September 1980 – 13 December 1983)
15   Necdet Calp
(1922–1998)
Populist Party
(HP)
13 December 1983 27 June 1985 1 year, 196 days Turgut Özal
16   Aydın Güven Gürkan
(1941–2006)
Populist Party
(HP)
27 June 1985 3 November 1985 337 days Turgut Özal
Social Democrat Populist Party
(SHP)
3 November 1985 30 May 1986
17   Erdal İnönü
(1926–2007)
30 May 1986 20 November 1991 5 years, 174 days Turgut Özal
Yıldırım Akbulut
Mesut Yılmaz
18   Mesut Yılmaz
(1947–2020)
Motherland Party
(ANAP)
21 November 1991 6 March 1996 4 years, 106 days Süleyman Demirel
Tansu Çiller
19   Necmettin Erbakan
(1926–2011)
Welfare Party
(RP)
6 March 1996 28 June 1996 114 days Mesut Yılmaz
20
(18)
  Mesut Yılmaz
(1947–2020)
Motherland Party
(ANAP)
28 June 1996 30 June 1997 1 year, 2 days Necmettin Erbakan
21
(19)
  Necmettin Erbakan
(1926–2011)
Welfare Party
(RP)
30 June 1997 17 December 1997 170 days Mesut Yılmaz
22   İsmail Alptekin
(born 1943)
Virtue Party
(FP)
17 December 1997 14 May 1998 148 days Mesut Yılmaz
23   Recai Kutan
(1930–2024)
Virtue Party
(FP)
14 May 1998 22 June 2001 3 years, 39 days Mesut Yılmaz
Bülent Ecevit
24   Tansu Çiller
(born 1946)
True Path Party
(DYP)
22 June 2001 19 November 2002 1 year, 150 days Bülent Ecevit
25   Deniz Baykal
(1938–2023)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
19 November 2002 22 May 2010 7 years, 184 days Abdullah Gül
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
26   Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
(born 1948)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
22 May 2010 5 November 2023 13 years, 167 days Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Ahmet Davutoğlu
Binali Yıldırım
27   Özgür Özel
(born 1974)
Republican People's Party
(CHP)
5 November 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 14 days Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Timeline

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Özgür ÖzelKemal KılıçdaroğluDeniz BaykalTansu ÇillerRecai Kutanİsmail AlptekinNecmettin ErbakanMesut YılmazErdal İnönüAydın Güven GürkanNecdet CalpBülent EcevitSüleyman DemirelRagıp GümüşpalaEkrem Alicanİsmet İnönüCelâl BayarFethi OkyarKâzım Karabekir

See also

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References

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  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