Rahsan Ecevit
Encyclopedia
Rahşan Ecevit (born 1923) is the spouse of the late Turkish
politician
and former prime minister
Bülent Ecevit
.
She was born in Bursa, Turkey
to a family from Şebinkarahisar
, a town in the northeastern Giresun Province
. Her father was Namık Zeki Aral, and her mother Zahide Aral. Their family came from Thessaloniki
after the population exchange agreement in 1920. Rahşan graduated from the American high school Robert College
in İstanbul
. She married her classmate Bülent Ecevit
in 1946.
Following the military coup in 1980
led by General Kenan Evren
, her husband was imprisoned and was suspended from active politics for life. Bülent Ecevit's party, the Republican People's Party
, was closed down. On November 14, 1985, Rahşan founded a socialist
party, the Democratic Left Party
(DSP) and led it until her husband's ban from politics was lifted in 1987.
Rahşan Ecevit was the vice president of the Democratic Left Party and responsible for the party's organization between 1989 and 2004. She became the leader of the Demokratik Sol Halk Partisi
(DSHP) on January 17, 2010. After Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
became the leader of the CHP she disbanded her party and joined the CHP.
On November 5, 2006, she lost her husband following an almost 6-month long medically induced coma.
She always says: "I don't get sick, because I am from Şebinkarahisar
!"
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former prime minister
Prime Minister of Turkey
The Prime Minister of the Turkey is the head of government in Turkish politics. The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament and the leader of the cabinet....
Bülent Ecevit
Bülent Ecevit
Mustafa Bülent Ecevit was a Turkish politician, poet, writer and journalist, who was the leader of Republican People's Party , later of the Democratic Left Party and four-time Prime Minister of Turkey.- Personal life :...
.
She was born in Bursa, Turkey
Bursa, Turkey
Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey and the seat of Bursa Province. The metropolitan area in the entire Bursa province had a population of 2.6 million as of 2010, making the city fourth most populous in Turkey. The city is equally one of the most industrialized metropolitan centers in the...
to a family from Şebinkarahisar
Sebinkarahisar
Şebinkarahisar is a town and a district of Giresun Province in the Black Sea region of eastern Turkey.-Name:The 6th century Byzantine historian Procopius writes that the Roman general Pompey captured the then ancient fortress and renamed it Colonia, in Greek Koloneia...
, a town in the northeastern Giresun Province
Giresun Province
Giresun Province is a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast. Its adjacent provinces are Trabzon to the east, Gümüşhane to the south-west, Erzincan to the south, Sivas to the south-east, and Ordu to the west. The provincial capital is Giresun....
. Her father was Namık Zeki Aral, and her mother Zahide Aral. Their family came from Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
after the population exchange agreement in 1920. Rahşan graduated from the American high school Robert College
Robert College
Robert College of Istanbul , is one of the most selective independent private high schools in Turkey. Robert College is a co-educational, boarding school with a wooded campus on the European side of Istanbul between the two bridges on the Bosphorus, with the Arnavutköy district to the east, and...
in İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. She married her classmate Bülent Ecevit
Bülent Ecevit
Mustafa Bülent Ecevit was a Turkish politician, poet, writer and journalist, who was the leader of Republican People's Party , later of the Democratic Left Party and four-time Prime Minister of Turkey.- Personal life :...
in 1946.
Following the military coup in 1980
Military coup in Turkey, 1980
The 12 September 1980 Turkish coup d'état, headed by Chief of the General Staff General Kenan Evren, was the third coup d'état in the history of the Republic after the 1960 coup and the 1971 "Coup by Memorandum"....
led by General Kenan Evren
Kenan Evren
Ahmet Kenan Evren was the seventh President of Turkey; a post he assumed by leading the 1980 military coup. He was also the last president to be born in the Ottoman Empire.- Biography :...
, her husband was imprisoned and was suspended from active politics for life. Bülent Ecevit's party, the 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...
, was closed down. On November 14, 1985, Rahşan founded a socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
party, 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) and led it until her husband's ban from politics was lifted in 1987.
Rahşan Ecevit was the vice president of the Democratic Left Party and responsible for the party's organization between 1989 and 2004. She became the leader of the Demokratik Sol Halk Partisi
Democratic Left People's Party
Democratic Left People's Party was a short-lived political party in Turkey. It was founded by ex-members of Democratic Left Party, led by Rahşan Ecevit. Its founding leader was Hulki Cevizoğlu. Cevizoğlu quit the office on January 13, 2010...
(DSHP) on January 17, 2010. After Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
Kemal Kiliçdaroglu
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is a Turkish social democrat politician. He is currently leader of the Republican People's Party and Leader of the Main Opposition in Turkey. He has been the Member of Parliament for İstanbul since 2002....
became the leader of the CHP she disbanded her party and joined the CHP.
On November 5, 2006, she lost her husband following an almost 6-month long medically induced coma.
She always says: "I don't get sick, because I am from Şebinkarahisar
Sebinkarahisar
Şebinkarahisar is a town and a district of Giresun Province in the Black Sea region of eastern Turkey.-Name:The 6th century Byzantine historian Procopius writes that the Roman general Pompey captured the then ancient fortress and renamed it Colonia, in Greek Koloneia...
!"