Great Union Party
Encyclopedia
The Great Union Party is a nationalist political party
in Turkey
, created on January 29, 1993. It is considered to be close to the Grey Wolves
organization, and is related to the "Alperen Ocakları" tendency, which operated a synthesis between Islamism and Turkish Nationalism
, and separated itself from the Nationalist Task Party (MÇP), which was renamed into Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP) in July 1992.
Although it is claimed that the founder of the party Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
left the MHP for lack of religious convictions, this should be seen rather as a speculation as Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu rarely blamed the MHP or talked about the separation. The rift between Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu and Alparslan Türkeş
actually had started after 1980 Turkish coup d'état. Alparslan Türkeş defended himself in the infamous speech in which he declared "My opinions and beliefs are of the same as the generals who organized the 1980 Turkish coup d'état, yet I am in prison" speech during trials after the coup. The ideological separation started then and reached the surface after Alparslan Türkeş dismissed the Ankara headquarters of the MHP after the 1992 MHP Congress. The delegates had elected the candidate that Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
supported rather than the one Alparslan Türkeş had supported. Türkeş's dismissal, seen to show an anti-democratic approach, was the final blow to the relationship between the young clique who had suffered during the 1980 coup and were against anything anti-democratic, and the old clique which circled around Alparslan Türkeş and believed in a nationalist-socialistic way of democracy.
The party has been represented in the Parliament
only via electoral coalitions with popular parties. At the 2002 legislative elections
, the party won 1.1 % of the popular vote and no seats; in the 2007 elections
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was elected as an independent. In 2009 local elections
the BBP's candidate was elected as the new mayor of Sivas.
, died in a helicopter crash
in south-eastern Turkey. A large search and rescue operation was conducted in the mountainous area around Göksun
in Kahramanmaraş Province
. The helicopter wreckage was found 47 hours after the crash, and all six people on board were found dead. İsmail Güneş, a reporter of the Ihlas News Agency
, who was accompanying Yazıcıoğlu, initially survived the crash and placed a desperate call for help just after the crash, and reported a broken leg. By the time, the search party
located the crash site in the inclement weather, all six aboard, including Güneş, were dead. Yazıcıoğlu had been traveling from Çağlayancerit
in Kahramanmaraş Province
to Yerköy
in Yozgat Province
in central Anatolia for another political rally before local elections the following Sunday
when the chartered helicopter crashed.
on board the ship MV Mavi Marmara
in May 2010.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, created on January 29, 1993. It is considered to be close to the Grey Wolves
Grey Wolves
The Idealist Youth , commonly known as Grey Wolves , is an ultra-nationalist neo-fascist youth organization. It is accused of terrorism. According to Turkish authorities, the organization carried out 694 murders between 1974–1980.-Name:...
organization, and is related to the "Alperen Ocakları" tendency, which operated a synthesis between Islamism and Turkish Nationalism
Turkish nationalism
Turkish nationalism is a political ideology that promotes and glorifies the Turkish people, as either a national, ethnic or linguistic group and puts the interests of the state over other influences, including religious ones.-Pan-Turkism:...
, and separated itself from the Nationalist Task Party (MÇP), which was renamed into 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...
(MHP) in July 1992.
Although it is claimed that the founder of the party Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was a Turkish politician and member of the Parliament of Turkey. He was the leader and founder of the Great Union Party , a right-wing, nationalist political party....
left the MHP for lack of religious convictions, this should be seen rather as a speculation as Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu rarely blamed the MHP or talked about the separation. The rift between Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu and Alparslan Türkeş
Alparslan Türkes
Alparslan Türkeş was a Cypriot-born Turkish nationalist politician who was the founder and former president of the Nationalist Movement Party party...
actually had started after 1980 Turkish coup d'état. Alparslan Türkeş defended himself in the infamous speech in which he declared "My opinions and beliefs are of the same as the generals who organized the 1980 Turkish coup d'état, yet I am in prison" speech during trials after the coup. The ideological separation started then and reached the surface after Alparslan Türkeş dismissed the Ankara headquarters of the MHP after the 1992 MHP Congress. The delegates had elected the candidate that Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was a Turkish politician and member of the Parliament of Turkey. He was the leader and founder of the Great Union Party , a right-wing, nationalist political party....
supported rather than the one Alparslan Türkeş had supported. Türkeş's dismissal, seen to show an anti-democratic approach, was the final blow to the relationship between the young clique who had suffered during the 1980 coup and were against anything anti-democratic, and the old clique which circled around Alparslan Türkeş and believed in a nationalist-socialistic way of democracy.
The party has been represented in the Parliament
Grand National Assembly of Turkey
The Grand National Assembly of Turkey , usually referred to simply as the Meclis , 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 in the midst of the Turkish War of Independence...
only via electoral coalitions with popular parties. At the 2002 legislative elections
Elections in Turkey
Turkey elects on the national level a legislature. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey has 550 members, elected for a four year term by a system based on proportional representation...
, the party won 1.1 % of the popular vote and no seats; in the 2007 elections
Turkish general election, 2007
Turkey's 16th general election was held on July 22, 2007 and resulted in a resounding victory for the incumbent Justice and Development Party...
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was elected as an independent. In 2009 local elections
Turkish local elections, 2009
Turkey held local elections on 29 March 2009. The overal winner was the ruling party Justice and Development Party, although the party saw a decline in its vote relative to the 2007 general election...
the BBP's candidate was elected as the new mayor of Sivas.
2009 helicopter crash and death of Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
On March 25, 2009, the leader of the BBP, Muhsin YazıcıoğluMuhsin Yazıcıoğlu
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was a Turkish politician and member of the Parliament of Turkey. He was the leader and founder of the Great Union Party , a right-wing, nationalist political party....
, died in a helicopter crash
2009 Medair TC-HEK helicopter crash
The 2009 Medair TC-HEK helicopter crash occurred on March 25, 2009 at around 16:00 EET when a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger, tail number TC-HEK, operated by Medair while on a charter flight en route from Çağlayancerit in Kahramanmaraş Province to Yerköy in Yozgat Province struck Mount Keş in central Turkey...
in south-eastern Turkey. A large search and rescue operation was conducted in the mountainous area around Göksun
Göksun
Göksun is a town and district of Kahramanmaraş Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey.- History :The town has an ancient history, first included in Cataonia, then in Cappadocia...
in Kahramanmaraş Province
Kahramanmaras Province
Kahramanmaraş is a province of Turkey. Its provincial capital is Kahramanmaraş city, the traffic code is 46.-Districts:Kahramanmaraş province is divided into 10 districts :*Afşin*Andırın*Çağlayancerit*Ekinözü*Elbistan*Göksun*Kahramanmaraş...
. The helicopter wreckage was found 47 hours after the crash, and all six people on board were found dead. İsmail Güneş, a reporter of the Ihlas News Agency
Ihlas News Agency
İhlas Haber Ajansı is a Turkish news agency which was founded in 1993.IHA is one of the leading video news agencies in the world...
, who was accompanying Yazıcıoğlu, initially survived the crash and placed a desperate call for help just after the crash, and reported a broken leg. By the time, the search party
Search Party
Search Party were an experimental electronic new wave band originally from Tooting. Search Party consisted of Alan Rear & Lee Jacob produced by Tony Mansfield. The band members met in school and started recording together in various forms of collaboration from a young age, namely; Pinups on EMI...
located the crash site in the inclement weather, all six aboard, including Güneş, were dead. Yazıcıoğlu had been traveling from Çağlayancerit
Çaglayancerit
Çağlayancerit is a town and district of Kahramanmaraş Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey.- 2009 helicopter crash :On March 25, 2009, Great Union Party's leader Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu came to Çağlayancerit at 13:00 EET by a chartered helicopter to hold a speech at his party's rally ahead of...
in Kahramanmaraş Province
Kahramanmaras Province
Kahramanmaraş is a province of Turkey. Its provincial capital is Kahramanmaraş city, the traffic code is 46.-Districts:Kahramanmaraş province is divided into 10 districts :*Afşin*Andırın*Çağlayancerit*Ekinözü*Elbistan*Göksun*Kahramanmaraş...
to Yerköy
Yerköy
Yerköy is a town and district of Yozgat Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 48,889 of which 32,228 live in the town of Yerköy.- 2009 Great Union Party's rally :...
in Yozgat Province
Yozgat Province
Yozgat Province is a province in central Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Çorum to the northwest, Kırıkkale to the west, Kırşehir to the southwest, Nevşehir to the south, Kayseri to the southeast, Sivas to the east, Tokat to the northeast, and Amasya to the north...
in central Anatolia for another political rally before local elections the following Sunday
Turkish local elections, 2009
Turkey held local elections on 29 March 2009. The overal winner was the ruling party Justice and Development Party, although the party saw a decline in its vote relative to the 2007 general election...
when the chartered helicopter crashed.
2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla
A delegation representing the BBP participated in the Gaza Freedom FlotillaGaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
on board the ship MV Mavi Marmara
MV Mavi Marmara
MV is a Comoros-flagged passenger ship, which was formerly owned and operated by İDO Istanbul Fast Ferries Co. Inc. on the line Sarayburnu, Istanbul-Marmara Island-Avşa Island in the Sea of Marmara. Built at the Golden Gate Shipyard by Turkish Shipbuilding Co...
in May 2010.