Prime Minister of Turkey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prime Minister ofthe Republic of Turkey |
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|---|---|
 İsmet İnönü 30 October 1923 – 22 November 1924 4 March 1925 – 25 October 1937 20 November 1961 – 20 February 1965 |
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| Executive branch of the Turkish Government | |
| Member of | Cabinet of Turkey National Security Council |
| Reports to | The Parliament |
| Residence | Prime Ministry Building (1925–1937) Başbakanlık Konutu (1937–2014) Çankaya Mansion (2014–2018) |
| Appointer | The President
In accordance with voting in the Grand National Assembly
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| Term length | 5 years (same as the term of Grand National Assembly)
While commanding the majority in the parliament. No term limits are imposed on the office.
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| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Turkey |
| Precursor | Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire |
| Formation | 3 May 1920 (Ankara Government) 1 November 1923 (Republic) |
| First holder | Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (Ankara Government) İsmet İnönü (Republic) |
| Final holder | Binali Yıldırım |
| Abolished | 9 July 2018 |
| Deputy | Deputy Prime Minister |
The Prime Minister of Turkey was a very important leader in the country's government. This person was the head of government for the Republic of Turkey from 1920 to 2018. The Prime Minister led a group of politicians in the Turkish Parliament. They also oversaw the cabinet, which is a team of top government officials.
Over time, the duties and powers of the Prime Minister changed. Before the role was ended in 2018, the Prime Minister was usually the most powerful person in Turkish politics. They often had more influence than the President.
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Turkey's Early Leaders: Ottoman Era
In the Ottoman Empire, the main advisor to the Ottoman sultan was called the Grand Vizier. This role was similar to a prime minister. In the 1800s, some leaders were even called "Prime Minister" (Başnazır).
Starting in the 1830s, Grand Viziers began to lead government cabinets. After a period of reforms called the Tanzimat in the 1800s, Grand Viziers became even more like the prime ministers found in European countries. Later, with the Ottoman constitution of 1876, a parliament was created. This parliament helped to oversee the Grand Vizier's work.
During the Second Constitutional Era, the Grand Vizier became responsible to the parliament, not just the Sultan. This was a big change in how the government worked.
New Beginnings: Grand National Assembly
After the Turkish National Movement set up the Grand National Assembly in Ankara, a new government was formed. It was called "The Cabinet of the Executive Ministers." At first, the Speaker of the Parliament also served as the head of this cabinet.
The Prime Minister in the Republic
One-Party Rule (1923–1945)
When Turkey became a republic, its first constitution was updated. This new version gave the Prime Minister the power to lead the government. The President of the Republic would choose the Prime Minister.
Even though the President's job was mostly symbolic, early Presidents like Atatürk and İnönü were very powerful. They were also the leaders of their political party, the Republican People's Party, during this one-party period.
Multi-Party Era (1945–2018)
Before the election in 1950, the constitution was changed again. This time, it said that the President could not also be the leader of a political party. This change made the Prime Minister the most important person in Turkish politics. The President's role became less powerful.
After Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was removed from power in 1960, a new constitution was created in 1961. This new constitution reduced the government's powers. It also gave the parliament more control over the cabinet. These changes led to many short-lived coalition governments until 1980. A "coalition government" is when several political parties work together to form a government.
After another change in government in 1980, the Constitution of 1982 was put in place. This constitution is still used today. It was similar to the previous one but added new rules to help governments last longer. For example, it set a 10% rule for elections. This meant a party needed at least 10% of the votes to get seats in parliament.
The 1982 constitution also gave the Prime Minister a lot of power. Most government ministries were put under the Prime Minister's direct control.
Over the years, the constitution was changed many times. Some of the most important changes happened in 2007, 2010, and 2017. Some of these changes were quite debated by the public.
In 2014, the President was directly elected by the people for the first time. Some people felt this changed Turkey into a system where both the President and Prime Minister shared power. This meant the Prime Minister's strong influence in Turkish politics began to lessen.
After the general elections in 2018, the changes approved in the 2017 public vote officially started. This marked the end of the Prime Minister's role and nearly 98 years of parliamentary government in Turkey.
Timeline of Prime Ministers
See also
In Spanish: Primer ministro de Turquía para niños
- Air transports of heads of state and government
- Official state car
- List of prime ministers of Turkey
- President of Turkey
- Vice President of Turkey
- Constitution of Turkey
