Famous Turkish Presidents

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was a Turkish field marshal, revolutionary statesman, and author, renowned as the founding father of the Republic of Turkey. Serving as its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938, he implemented sweeping progressive reforms that modernized Turkey into a secular, industrializing nation. Atatürk played a crucial role in securing the Ottoman Turkish victory at the Battle of Gallipoli during World War I, leading the Turkish National Movement to establish the Turkish Republic and initiate significant political, economic, and cultural reforms.

Mustafa İsmet İnönü was a Turkish army officer and statesman who served as the second president of Turkey and as its prime minister multiple times. He was a close ally of Atatürk, serving as his right-hand man. İnönü played a crucial role in military campaigns, negotiations, and implementing modernizing reforms in Turkey. He led the country through significant events such as the Greco-Turkish War, annexation of Hatay State, and Turkey's neutrality during World War II. İnönü's leadership also oversaw Turkey's transition to a multiparty system.

Halil Turgut Özal was a prominent Turkish politician, bureaucrat, engineer, and statesman who served as the 8th President of Turkey from 1989 to 1993. Prior to his presidency, he held various key positions including serving as the 26th Prime Minister of Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister, and as the leader of the Motherland Party. He played a significant role in implementing economic reforms, promoting neoliberalism, and addressing key issues such as inflation and conflicts with Kurdish separatists. Özal also focused on foreign policy, maintaining relations with other countries and participating in international summits.

Cemal Gürsel was a Turkish military officer and politician who served as the 4th president of Turkey from 1960 to 1966. He rose to power through a coup d'état and played a significant role in Turkish politics during his presidency. Gürsel's professional life was marked by his military career, where he held various leadership positions before assuming the presidency. He implemented several reforms and policies during his tenure, shaping the political landscape of Turkey during that period.

Fahri Sabit Korutürk was a distinguished Turkish admiral, diplomat, and politician. He had a significant career in the Turkish Naval Forces, serving as the commander from 1957 to 1960. Korutürk later took on diplomatic roles, including serving as Turkey's ambassador to the Soviet Union. His political career saw him as a member of the Senate of the Republic and eventually as the 6th president of Turkey from 1973 to 1980. Throughout his professional life, he demonstrated leadership, dedication, and a commitment to serving his country.

Celâl Bayar was a Turkish economist and politician who played a significant role in shaping Turkey's economic and political landscape. He served as the prime minister of Turkey from 1937 to 1939, implementing liberal economic policies to boost the economy. In 1946, he co-founded the Democrat Party, ushering in a multiparty system in Turkey. Bayar was elected as Turkey's third president in 1950 and served for 10 years, advocating for the rights of former politicians associated with his party. He was overthrown in the 1960 coup but continued to work towards political reform.

Süleyman Demirel was a prominent Turkish politician, engineer, and statesman who served as the 9th President of Turkey from 1993 to 2000. He held the position of Prime Minister seven times between 1965 and 1993, leading the Justice Party and later the True Path Party. Throughout his career, Demirel implemented economic reforms to stabilize inflation and navigated various political challenges, including coups d'état. He played a key role in shaping Turkey's political landscape and governance for several decades.

Abdullah Gül is a Turkish politician who served as the 11th president of Turkey from 2007 to 2014. He also served as Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister. Gül was a Member of Parliament for Kayseri and played a key role in the founding of the moderate Justice and Development Party (AKP). As President, he faced criticism for controversial laws but took a mediating approach during protests and corruption scandals. Gül has since become publicly critical of his successor, Erdoğan, and has been involved with the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA).

Cevdet Sunay was a Turkish politician and army officer who held the position of the fifth President of Turkey from 1966 to 1973. He had a distinguished professional career, serving in various military roles before transitioning into politics. Sunay's leadership during his presidency was marked by efforts to uphold stability and unity in Turkey during a period of political turbulence. He played a significant role in shaping the country's political landscape and contributed to its development during his tenure as President.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician who has served as the president of Turkey since 2014. He was previously the prime minister from 2003 to 2014 and the mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. Erdoğan co-founded the Justice and Development Party in 2001 and led it to multiple election victories. His tenure saw economic recovery, EU membership negotiations, and reduced military influence. As president, he has been criticized for democratic backsliding, adopting authoritarian practices, and implementing controversial economic policies.

Mehmet Ali Talat is a Turkish Cypriot politician known for his tenure as the president of Northern Cyprus from 2005 to 2010. He led the social democratic Republican Turkish Party (CTP) from 1996 to 2005 and later from 2015 to 2016. Talat also served as prime minister before winning the presidential election in 2005. During his presidency, he succeeded the retiring leader Rauf Denktaş. Talat lost the presidential election in 2010 and was replaced by Derviş Eroğlu.