Turkish general election, 1991
Encyclopedia
General elections were held in Turkey
on 20 October 1991. It was the first by the ruling Motherland Party
to be contested without its founding leader, Turgut Özal
, who had become Turkish president
two years previously. The result was a swing against Özal's former party in favour of its fierce centre-right rival, the True Path Party
led by Süleyman Demirel
. The vote saw two additional parties cross the 10 percent barrier to enter parliament. Necmettin Erbakan
and his Welfare Party
saw a party of religious background returned for the first time in 14 years. Welfare had a greatly increased share of the vote and took several key provinces, including Istanbul in 1994 local elections. Bülent Ecevit
's Democratic Left Party
also scraped through to win seven seats. Voter turnout was 83.9%.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
on 20 October 1991. It was the first by the ruling 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...
to be contested without its founding leader, Turgut Özal
Turgut Özal
Halil Turgut Özal was Prime Minister of Turkey and President of Turkey . As Prime Minister, he transformed the economy of Turkey by paving the way for the privatization of many state enterprises.-Early life and career:...
, who had become Turkish president
President of Turkey
The President of Turkey is the head of state of the Republic of Turkey. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office but has some important functions...
two years previously. The result was a swing against Özal's former party in favour of its fierce centre-right rival, 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...
led by 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...
. The vote saw two additional parties cross the 10 percent barrier to enter parliament. 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...
and his 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...
saw a party of religious background returned for the first time in 14 years. Welfare had a greatly increased share of the vote and took several key provinces, including Istanbul in 1994 local elections. 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 :...
's 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...
also scraped through to win seven seats. Voter turnout was 83.9%.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| True Path Party | 6,600,726 | 27.0 | 178 | |
| 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... |
5,862,623 | 24.0 | 115 | |
| Social Democratic Populist Party Social Democratic Populist Party (Turkey) The Social Democratic Populist Party was the name of a former Turkish left social-democratic party, which resulted from the fusion, in 1985, of the Social Democracy Party of Erdal İnönü and the People's Party of Aydın Güven Gürkan, both founded in 1983 with the return to democracy after the... |
5,066,571 | 20.8 | 88 | |
| 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... |
4,121,355 | 16.9 | 62 | |
| 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... |
2,624,301 | 10.7 | 7 | |
| SP SP -Business and commerce:* SaskPower, a company in Canada* IATA airline designator for SATA Air Acores* SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden* Schering-Plough, a pharmaceutical company now merged with Merck & Co.* Southern Pacific Railroad reporting marks... |
108,369 | 0.4 | 0 | New |
| Independents | 32,721 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 740,423 | |||
| Total | 25,157,089 | 100 | 450 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen et al | ||||