Turkish general election, 1995
Encyclopedia
Turkey's 13th general election was held on Sunday December 24, 1995, triggered after the newly reformed Republican People's Party
(CHP) withdrew from a coalition with the True Path Party
(DYP). The coalition had been in government for four years, having been formed by the Social Democratic People's Party
, the CHP's predecessor.
The vote was the first to elect 550 deputies to parliament, its largest size yet. It saw an unprecedented victory for the religious Welfare Party
(RP), although it did not deliver an overall majority. The Democratic Left Party
(DSP) also made significant gains at the expense of the CHP, which barely crossed the election barrier. The election was also the first time an openly Kurdish party - the People's Democracy Party - contested. It became the leading party in several provinces, but did not produce any MPs after failing far short of the barrier.
's government stayed on, eventually agreeing with Mesut Yılmaz's Motherland Party
(ANAP) to form a minority coalition in March 1996, some three months after the election.
The ANAP-DYP coalition was toppled in an RP censure motion in June, forcing President Süleyman Demirel
to choose between calling a fresh election or asking RP leader Necmettin Erbakan
to form a government. He chose the latter, and the DYP switched allegiances to form Turkey's first Islamist government with the RP in June 1996.
and centre-left history. The gamble turned out to be a disaster; far from returning to government, the CHP became the smallest party in parliament with a loss of nationalist votes to the MHP and left-wing votes to the DSP. The party's unpopularity led to its complete ejection from parliament in the next election
.
Republican People's Party (Turkey)
The Republican People's Party is a centre-left Kemalist political party in Turkey. It is the oldest political party of Turkey and is currently Main Opposition in the Grand National Assembly. The Republican People's Party describes itself as "a modern social-democratic party, which is faithful to...
(CHP) withdrew from a coalition with the True Path Party
True Path Party
The Democratic Party , abbreviated to DP, is a centre-right, conservative Turkish political party, established by Suleyman Demirel in 1983 as the Right Path Party...
(DYP). The coalition had been in government for four years, having been formed by the Social Democratic People's Party
Social Democratic People's Party (Turkey)
The current Social Democratic People's Party or SHP is a Turkish left social-democratic political party established in 2002 by Murat Karayalçın, former Ankara Metropolitan Mayor and Foreign Minister ....
, the CHP's predecessor.
The vote was the first to elect 550 deputies to parliament, its largest size yet. It saw an unprecedented victory for the religious Welfare Party
Welfare Party
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, Milli Nizam Partisi and Milli Selamet Partisi , which were banned from politics...
(RP), although it did not deliver an overall majority. The Democratic Left Party
Democratic Left Party (Turkey)
The Democratic Left Party is a Turkish political party founded on November 14, 1985, by Rahşan Ecevit.-1985-1999:The DSP, a social democratic oriented party, was registered on November 14, 1985 by Rahşan Ecevit, wife of Bülent Ecevit, as he was banned from political life after the 1980 coup...
(DSP) also made significant gains at the expense of the CHP, which barely crossed the election barrier. The election was also the first time an openly Kurdish party - the People's Democracy Party - contested. It became the leading party in several provinces, but did not produce any MPs after failing far short of the barrier.
Total votes and seats for each party
| Parties | Votes | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | +− % | No. | +− | ||
| Welfare Party Welfare Party 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, Milli Nizam Partisi and Milli Selamet Partisi , which were banned from politics... (Refah Partisi) |
6,012,450 | 21.38 | +4.50 | 158 | +96 | |
| Motherland Party Motherland Party (Turkey) The Motherland Party, was a political party in Turkey. It was founded in 1983 by Turgut Özal. It was merged to Democratic Party in October 2009... (Anavatan Partisi) |
5,527,288 | 19.65 | -4.36 | 132 | +17 | |
| True Path Party True Path Party The Democratic Party , abbreviated to DP, is a centre-right, conservative Turkish political party, established by Suleyman Demirel in 1983 as the Right Path Party... (Doğru Yol Partisi) |
5,396,009 | 19.18 | -7.85 | 135 | -43 | |
| Democratic Left Party Democratic Left Party (Turkey) The Democratic Left Party is a Turkish political party founded on November 14, 1985, by Rahşan Ecevit.-1985-1999:The DSP, a social democratic oriented party, was registered on November 14, 1985 by Rahşan Ecevit, wife of Bülent Ecevit, as he was banned from political life after the 1980 coup... (Demokratik Sol Parti) |
4,118,025 | 14.64 | +3.89 | 76 | +69 | |
| Republican People's Party Republican People's Party (Turkey) The Republican People's Party is a centre-left Kemalist political party in Turkey. It is the oldest political party of Turkey and is currently Main Opposition in the Grand National Assembly. The Republican People's Party describes itself as "a modern social-democratic party, which is faithful to... (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi) |
3,011,076 | 10.71 | -10.04 | 49 | -39 | |
| Nationalist Movement Party Nationalist Movement Party The Nationalist Movement Party , is a far-right political party in Turkey.In the 2002 general elections, the party had lost its 129 seats as it had won only 8.34% of the national vote... (Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi) |
2,301,343 | 8.18 | 0 | |||
| People's Democracy Party (Halkın Demokrasi Partisi) | 1,171,623 | 4.17 | 0 | |||
| Independents Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
133,895 | 0.48 | +0.35 | 0 | ||
| New Democracy Movement (Yeni Demokrasi Hareketi) | 133.889 | 0.48 | 0 | |||
| Nation Party Nation Party (Turkey) The Nation Party was a conservative and nationalistic political party in Turkey active from 1948 until 1953, when it was outlawed.-Formation and split:... (Millet Partisi) |
127.630 | 0.45 | 0 | |||
| Rebirth Party (Yeniden Doğuş Partisi) | 95.484 | 0.34 | 0 | |||
| Workers' Party Workers' Party (Turkey) Workers' Party is political party in Turkey led by Doğu Perinçek. İP has its roots in the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey , Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey and Socialist Party... (İşçi Partisi) |
61.428 | 0.22 | 0 | |||
| New Party (Yeni Parti) | 36.853 | 0.13 | 0 | |||
| No. of valid votes | 28,126,993 | 100,00 | 550 | 0 | ||
| Invalid votes | 974,476 | |||||
| Total votes | 29,101,469 | |||||
| Electorate size | 34,155,981 | |||||
| Voter turnout | 96.65% | |||||
|
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Coalition of Ordered government
Not since before the declaration of the republic had a blatantly religious party emerged as the largest political force in Turkey. There were fears of the secular armed forces refusing to accept the election result, perhaps even launching yet another coup. As a national debate waged, Tansu ÇillerTansu Çiller
Tansu Penbe Çiller is a Turkish economist and politician. She was Turkey's first and only female Prime Minister.- Early career :She is the daughter of a Turkish governor of Bilecik province during the 1950s. She graduated from the School of Economics at Robert College after finishing the American...
's government stayed on, eventually agreeing with Mesut Yılmaz's Motherland Party
Motherland Party (Turkey)
The Motherland Party, was a political party in Turkey. It was founded in 1983 by Turgut Özal. It was merged to Democratic Party in October 2009...
(ANAP) to form a minority coalition in March 1996, some three months after the election.
The ANAP-DYP coalition was toppled in an RP censure motion in June, forcing President Süleyman Demirel
Süleyman Demirel
Sami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel, better known as Süleyman Demirel , is a Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister seven times and was the ninth President of Turkey.-Life:Demirel was born in İslamköy, a town in Isparta Province...
to choose between calling a fresh election or asking RP leader Necmettin Erbakan
Necmettin Erbakan
Necmettin Erbakan was a Turkish engineer, academic, politician , who was the Prime Minister of Turkey from 1996 until 1997. He was Turkey's first Islamist Prime Minister...
to form a government. He chose the latter, and the DYP switched allegiances to form Turkey's first Islamist government with the RP in June 1996.
CHP decline
The newly reformed CHP had withdrawn as junior partner of a four-year coalition with the DYP to contest an election on an agenda that boasted its KemalistKemalist ideology
Kemalist Ideology, "Kemalism" or also known as the "Six Arrows" is the principle that defines the basic characteristics of the Republic of Turkey. It was developed by the Turkish national movement and its leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.-Fundamentals:...
and centre-left history. The gamble turned out to be a disaster; far from returning to government, the CHP became the smallest party in parliament with a loss of nationalist votes to the MHP and left-wing votes to the DSP. The party's unpopularity led to its complete ejection from parliament in the next election
Turkish general election, 1999
Turkey's 14th general election was held on Sunday April 18, 1999 and was the first election in Turkish history to combine local, council and parliamentary elections on the same day. Bülent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party , soaring in popularity after the capture of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan,...
.