Binali Yıldırım facts for kids
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Binali Yıldırım
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Yıldırım in 2016
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| Speaker of the Grand National Assembly | |
| In office 12 July 2018 – 18 February 2019 |
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| President | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Deputy | Mustafa Şentop Levent Gök Mithat Sancar Celal Adan |
| Preceded by | İsmail Kahraman |
| Succeeded by | Mustafa Şentop |
| Prime Minister of Turkey | |
| In office 24 May 2016 – 9 July 2018 |
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| President | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Deputy |
2016–2017
Nurettin Canikli
Mehmet Şimşek Numan Kurtulmuş Tuğrul Türkeş Veysi Kaynak 2017–2018
Bekir Bozdağ
Recep Akdağ Mehmet Şimşek Hakan Çavuşoğlu Fikri Işık |
| Preceded by | Ahmet Davutoğlu |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Parliamentary leader of the Justice and Development Party | |
| In office 24 May 2017 – 7 July 2018 |
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| Deputy | Mustafa Elitaş Naci Bostancı İlknur İnceöz Bülent Turan Mehmet Muş |
| Leader | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Preceded by | Doğan Kubat |
| Succeeded by | Naci Bostancı |
| Leader of the Justice and Development Party | |
| In office 22 May 2016 – 21 May 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Ahmet Davutoğlu |
| Succeeded by | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication | |
| In office 24 November 2015 – 24 May 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | Ahmet Davutoğlu |
| Deputy | Yüksel Coşkunyürek |
| Preceded by | Feridun Bilgin |
| Succeeded by | Ahmet Arslan |
| In office 1 November 2011 – 25 December 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Deputy | Yahya Baş |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Lütfi Elvan |
| Minister of Transport | |
| In office 6 July 2011 – 1 November 2011 |
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| Prime Minister | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Preceded by | Habip Soluk |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| In office 29 August 2007 – 8 March 2011 |
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| Prime Minister | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Preceded by | İsmet Yılmaz |
| Succeeded by | Habip Soluk |
| In office 18 November 2002 – 8 May 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Abdullah Gül Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Preceded by | Naci Kınacıoğlu |
| Succeeded by | İsmet Yılmaz |
| Member of the Grand National Assembly | |
| In office 1 November 2015 – 14 May 2023 |
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| Constituency | İzmir-I (Nov 2015, 2018) |
| In office 3 November 2002 – 7 June 2015 |
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| Constituency | Istanbul-I (2002) Erzincan (2007) İzmir-II (2011) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 December 1955 Kayıköy, Refahiye, Erzincan Province, Turkey |
| Political party | Justice and Development Party |
| Spouse |
Semiha Yıldırım
(m. 1976) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Istanbul Technical University Malmö World Maritime University |
| Signature |  |
Binali Yıldırım (born 20 December 1955) is a Turkish politician. He was the 27th and last Prime Minister of Turkey from 2016 to 2018. He also served as the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly from 2018 to 2019. He was the leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) from 2016 to 2017.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Yıldırım was the head of the Istanbul Fast Ferries Company from 1994 to 2000. He then became a Member of Parliament for Istanbul in 2002. He was appointed Minister of Transport by Prime Minister Abdullah Gül. He continued in this role when Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became prime minister in 2003. As Transport Minister, he led many big projects. These included Marmaray, high-speed train lines, and new airports and roads. In 2011, his ministry also took on maritime and communication duties.
In 2014, Yıldırım ran for Mayor of İzmir but did not win. He became a special advisor to President Erdoğan in June 2014. He was re-appointed as Transport Minister in November 2015. After Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu resigned in May 2016, Yıldırım was chosen as the next leader of the AKP. He became Prime Minister on 24 May 2016. In July 2016, there was a failed attempt by some parts of the Turkish Army to remove him from power.
Yıldırım strongly supported President Erdoğan. He was expected to help change Turkey's government system. This change would give more power to the President. After a public vote in 2017, the role of Prime Minister was ended. Yıldırım then resigned as AKP Leader and Erdoğan took over.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Binali Yıldırım was born in Refahiye, Erzincan Province, on 20 December 1955. His name, Binali, means "son of Ali" in Arabic. His last name, Yıldırım, means "lightning bolt."
Where He Grew Up
There have been different ideas about Binali Yıldırım's family background. He has sometimes said his family is Kurdish. However, his cousin said their family is not Kurdish. He also once said he was from Şanlıurfa, even though he is known to be from Erzincan.
His Schooling
Yıldırım studied Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. He also earned a master's degree there. He worked in the Turkish Shipping Industry. He also received special training in Maritime Safety from the World Maritime University in Sweden. During his time in Sweden, he worked with maritime experts in European ports.
Leading Istanbul Fast Ferries (1994–2000)
After finishing his studies, Yıldırım became the director general of the Istanbul Fast Ferries Company (İDO). This was from 1994 to 2000. At that time, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was the Mayor of Istanbul. Yıldırım helped improve sea travel in Istanbul to reduce traffic. He started new ferry routes and built 29 ferry terminals. He also added 22 passenger and 4 car ferries. This made İDO a very large shipping company. In 1999, he received an award for his work in modernizing sea transport.
Starting in Politics
As the director of İDO, Yıldırım became good friends with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. When Erdoğan started a new political party in 2001, Yıldırım joined him. He became a founding member of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). In the 2002 general election, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Istanbul.
Member of Parliament (MP)
Yıldırım was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Istanbul in 2002. He was re-elected in 2007 for his home province of Erzincan. In 2011, he was elected for a third time from İzmir.
Because of the AKP's rule that MPs could only serve three terms, Yıldırım could not run for re-election in June 2015. However, he was re-elected to Parliament in November 2015. On February 18, 2019, he announced he would resign as Speaker of the Turkish Parliament. This was because he planned to run for mayor of Istanbul.
Minister of Transport, Maritime, and Communication
Binali Yıldırım served as Turkey's Transport Minister for about 11 years. He was Minister of Transport from November 2002 to November 2011. In November 2011, the duties of maritime and communications were added to his ministry. He became the first Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication. He left office in 2013 but was re-appointed in November 2015.
Yıldırım has stated that during his time as Minister, 17,500 kilometers of new motorways were built. Also, 29 new airports and 1,213 kilometers of high-speed railway were constructed.
Growing the Rail Network
In 2003, Turkey started its first high-speed rail project. In 2004, Yıldırım oversaw the start of construction for the first line between Ankara and Eskişehir. This line opened in 2009. The goal was to reach speeds of 150 km/h (93 mph). By 2014, the line was extended to Istanbul. Construction on the Ankara–Konya high-speed railway began in 2006 and finished in 2011.
The Transport Ministry aimed to build over 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles) of high-speed lines by 2023. This was part of the AKP's "2023 vision" for Turkey's 100th anniversary.
Yıldırım also opened several city rail and metro systems. These included the Istanbul Kabataş–Taksim funicular in 2006. The İzmir commuter rail and Adana Metro opened in 2010. Several Istanbul Metro lines opened between 2012 and 2015. In 2013, the first part of the Marmaray project opened. This tunnel links Europe and Asia under the Bosphorus in Istanbul.
Expanding Airports
Yıldırım led a plan to greatly improve airports. Many airports were closed for upgrades and then re-opened. These included Tokat, Kahramanmaraş, and Sivas in 2006. New terminals were built at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport in 2006 and 2014. New terminals also opened at Erzincan Airport and Mardin Airport in 2011.
Many new airports were built or finished during his time as Minister. These included Hatay Airport in 2007 and Amasya Merzifon Airport in 2008. Gazipaşa Airport and Gökçeada Airport opened in 2010. Zafer Airport, Iğdır Airport, and Şırnak Airport opened between 2012 and 2013. Military air bases like Erhaç Airport and Cengiz Topel Airport were opened for civilian flights. Yıldırım was also involved in building the Ordu-Giresun Airport. This airport is special because it is built on an artificial island. He also helped start the Istanbul Airport project, which is planned to be one of the largest in the world.
Sea Projects
One major project was the plan for a new artificial waterway called Kanal Istanbul. This canal would connect the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, running next to the Bosphorus. Former Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called it the party's "crazy project." It was a big goal for the AKP's "2023 vision."
Yıldırım announced plans for the project in 2009. It was officially started by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2011. By 2016, Yıldırım said five possible routes for the canal had been found.
Yıldırım also oversaw improvements to existing waterways and ferry services. İzmir received new ferries in 2013 and 2014. A new ferry terminal was opened at Tuzla.
Later Political Career
Advisor to President Erdoğan (2014–2015)
After leaving his role as Transport Minister in 2013, Yıldırım became an advisor to the AKP leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. When Erdoğan became President of Turkey in 2014, Yıldırım continued as a special advisor. He was seen as one of Erdoğan's closest and most loyal supporters.
Running for İzmir Mayor
| Local election 2014: İzmir Metropolitan Mayor | ||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| CHP | Aziz Kocaoğlu  |
1,307,501 | 49.6 | |
| AKP | Binali Yıldırım | 947,108 | 35.9 | |
| MHP | Murat Taşer | 210,124 | 8.0 | |
| HDP | Osman Özçelik | 88,375 | 3.4 | |
| Others | 82,760 | 3.1 | ||
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Turnout
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2,635,868
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90.4
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In the 2014 local elections, Yıldırım ran for Mayor of İzmir. İzmir was a strong area for the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). He lost the election to the CHP candidate, Aziz Kocaoğlu. Kocaoğlu won 49.6% of the votes, while Yıldırım received 35.9%.
Prime Minister (2016–2018)
Binali Yıldırım was known as a very loyal supporter of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He was seen as a Prime Minister who would help change Turkey's government. The goal was to move from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency. This would give more power to the President.
Yıldırım was described as a "technocrat" who was very loyal to Erdoğan. He was expected to focus on carrying out policies. He emphasized the need to make the executive presidency official. He also wanted to write a new constitution.
When he announced his cabinet, it was noted that all ministers were loyal to Erdoğan. This cabinet was called the "Presidential Cabinet." His government won the approval of Parliament on 29 May 2016.
Yıldırım was the first Prime Minister in 20 years with an engineering background. The last one was Necmettin Erbakan, who served from 1996 to 1997.
Becoming AKP Leader
On 5 May 2016, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu announced he would step down as AKP leader. This happened after there were disagreements between Davutoğlu and Erdoğan. Erdoğan wanted to change the government to an executive presidency.
Yıldırım quickly became the favorite to replace Davutoğlu. On 19 May 2016, he was announced as the only candidate for the Justice and Development Party leadership. He was elected leader without opposition on 22 May 2016. He won 1,405 out of 1,411 votes.
New Government System
After becoming Prime Minister on 24 May 2016, Yıldırım stated his main goal. It was to change Turkey's government system to an executive presidency. This would need many votes in Parliament. Yıldırım said that because the President was now elected by the people, a new system was needed.
He announced that his government would quickly start writing a new constitution. He said the current Constitution of Turkey was old. He asked opposition parties to work with the AKP on this new constitution.
Economic Plans
To handle the economy, Yıldırım chose ministers known and trusted by financial experts. Mehmet Şimşek stayed as Deputy Prime Minister for the economy. Naci Ağbal remained Minister of Finance. Ahmet Arslan took over as Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication. This showed the government would focus on transport projects.
Foreign Policy Goals
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Yıldırım said his government would try to make more friends and fewer enemies in the region. This was seen as a way to improve Turkey's relationships with other countries.
Relations with the European Union
After Yıldırım became AKP leader, the European Union congratulated him. They asked his government to work on a migrant deal. Yıldırım said Turkey was meeting all the requirements for EU membership. But he felt Turkey was being treated unfairly.
He asked the EU to keep its promise to allow Turkish citizens to travel without a visa. The EU said Turkey needed to change its anti-terror laws. This was a condition that President Erdoğan strongly opposed.
Germany's Decision on History
On 2 June 2016, the German Parliament voted to recognize events from 1915 as a Genocide. Before the vote, Yıldırım had warned German Chancellor Angela Merkel that this decision would hurt relations.
In response, Turkey recalled its Ambassador from Berlin. The German Ambassador to Turkey was also called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prime Minister Yıldırım said Turkey was not ashamed of its history. He called the German decision "faulty" and said Turkey would not accept it.
Relations with Russia
Yıldırım announced plans to improve relations with Russia. Relations had become difficult after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet in November 2015. This had also hurt trade between the two countries. Improving economic ties with Russia was a key goal for the new government.
Personal Life
Yıldırım married Semiha Yıldırım, a retired teacher, in 1976. They have three children: Erkan, Ahmet, and Baran. A primary school in Çekmeköy, Istanbul, was named after his wife, 'Öğretmen Semiha Yıldırım İlkokulu'. It opened in 2012. Semiha Yıldırım is also active in the Justice and Development Party. Binali Yıldırım speaks Turkish, English, and French.
In October 2022, he was hurt in a road accident while visiting Azerbaijan. He was taken to a hospital in Baku.
Awards and Honours
Yıldırım has received Honorary doctorates from several universities. These include Turkish universities, the World Maritime University in Malmö, and Technische Universität Berlin.
- 2006: Honorary Doctorate by the Girne American University, Northern Cyprus (20 July)
- 2009: Honorary Doctorate by the Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun (19 June)
- 2010: Honorary Doctorate by the Cumhuriyet University, Sivas (7 May)
- 2010: Honorary Doctorate by the Bozok University, Yozgat (29 September)
- 2011: Honorary Doctorate by the Anadolu University, Eskişehir (28 February)
- 2011: Honorary Doctorate by the Erzincan University (12 September)
- 2011: Honorary Doctorate by the Kırklareli University (20 September)
- 2011: Honorary Doctorate by Technische Universität Berlin (23 December)
- 2012: Honorary Doctorate by the Pamukkale University, Denizli (6 June)
- 2012: Honorary Doctorate by the World Maritime University, Malmö (2 December)
- 2013: Honorary Doctorate by the Okan University, Istanbul (22 March)
- 2019: Honorary Doctorate by the Yalova University, Yalova (11 October)
Images for kids
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Yıldırım with other ministers during a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Turkey in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Binali Yıldırım para niños
