List of main opposition leaders of Turkey
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This article lists the individuals to have served as Main Opposition Leader of Turkey (Turkish: Ana Muhalefet Lideri), since the inception of the republican period in 1923. The Main Opposition Leader is the leader of the largest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in cabinet.
ResidenceNo official residence
AppointerLargest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet
TermlengthWhile leader of the largest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet
InauguralholderKâzım Karabekir (One-party period)
Celâl Bayar (Multi-party period)
Celâl Bayar (Multi-party period)
| Main Opposition Leader | |
|---|---|
| Ana Muhalefet Lideri | |
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| Residence | No official residence |
| Appointer | Largest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet |
| Term length | While leader of the largest political party in the Grand National Assembly that is not in the cabinet |
| Inaugural holder | Kâzım Karabekir (One-party period) Celâl Bayar (Multi-party period) |
| Formation | 17 October 1924 (One-party period) 7 January 1946 (Multi-party period) |
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Except for two brief periods (1924–25 and 1930), there were no opposition leaders in the one-party period. Furthermore, there were no opposition leaders during the periods of military dictatorships in the multi-party period (1960–61 and 1980–83).[1][2][3]
The Main Opposition Leader is a senior government official of Turkey, representing the state as the fourth most authoritative person, as per the order of precedence. It supersedes the Constitutional Court judges, cabinet ministers, and top military generals. The Turkish National Police provides dignitary protection for the incumbent holder of office.[4]
List
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Party | Term of office | Head of government | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| One-party period | ||||||||
| 1 |  |
Kâzım Karabekir (1882–1948) |
Progressive Republican Party (TCF) |
17 October 1924 | 3 June 1925 | 229 days | İsmet İnönü Fethi Okyar | |
| Office vacant (3 June 1925 – 12 August 1930) | ||||||||
| 2 |  |
Fethi Okyar (1880–1943) |
Liberal Republican Party (SCF) |
12 August 1930 | 17 November 1930 | 97 days | İsmet İnönü | |
| Office vacant (17 November 1930 – 7 January 1946) | ||||||||
| Multi-party period | ||||||||
| 3 |  |
Celâl Bayar (1883–1986) |
Democrat Party (DP) |
7 January 1946 | 14 May 1950 | 4 years, 127 days | Şükrü Saracoğlu Recep Peker Hasan Saka Şemsettin Günaltay | |
| 4 | .jpg) |
İsmet İnönü (1884–1973) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
22 May 1950 | 27 May 1960 | 10 years, 5 days | Adnan Menderes | |
| Office vacant (27 May 1960 – 20 November 1961) | ||||||||
| 5 | .jpg) |
Ekrem Alican (1916–2000) |
New Turkey Party (YTP) |
20 November 1961 | 25 June 1962 | 217 days | İsmet İnönü | |
| 6 |  |
Ragıp Gümüşpala (1897–1964) |
Justice Party (AP) |
25 June 1962 | 6 June 1964 | 1 year, 347 days | İsmet İnönü | |
| 7 |  |
Süleyman Demirel (1924–2015) |
Justice Party (AP) |
6 June 1964 | 20 February 1965 | 259 days | İsmet İnönü | |
| 8 (4) |
|
İsmet İnönü (1884–1973) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
20 February 1965 | 26 March 1971 | 6 years, 34 days | Suat Hayri Ürgüplü Süleyman Demirel | |
| 9 (7) |
 |
Süleyman Demirel (1924–2015) |
Justice Party (AP) |
26 January 1974 | 17 November 1974 | 295 days | Bülent Ecevit | |
| 10 |  |
Bülent Ecevit (1925–2006) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
31 March 1975 | 21 June 1977 | 2 years, 82 days | Süleyman Demirel | |
| 11 (7) |
|
Süleyman Demirel (1924–2015) |
Justice Party (AP) |
21 June 1977 | 21 July 1977 | 30 days | Bülent Ecevit | |
| 12 (10) |
|
Bülent Ecevit (1925–2006) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
21 July 1977 | 5 January 1978 | 168 days | Süleyman Demirel | |
| 13 (7) |
|
Süleyman Demirel (1924–2015) |
Justice Party (AP) |
5 January 1978 | 12 November 1979 | 1 year, 311 days | Bülent Ecevit | |
| 14 (10) |
|
Bülent Ecevit (1925–2006) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
12 November 1979 | 12 September 1980 | 305 days | Süleyman Demirel | |
| Office vacant (12 September 1980 – 13 December 1983) | ||||||||
| 15 | |
Necdet Calp (1922–1998) |
Populist Party (HP) |
13 December 1983 | 27 June 1985 | 1 year, 196 days | Turgut Özal | |
| 16 | |
Aydın Güven Gürkan (1941–2006) |
Populist Party (HP) |
27 June 1985 | 3 November 1985 | 337 days | Turgut Özal | |
| Social Democrat Populist Party (SHP) |
3 November 1985 | 30 May 1986 | ||||||
| 17 | _(cropped).jpg) |
Erdal İnönü (1926–2007) |
30 May 1986 | 20 November 1991 | 5 years, 174 days | Turgut Özal Yıldırım Akbulut Mesut Yılmaz | ||
| 18 |  |
Mesut Yılmaz (1947–2020) |
Motherland Party (ANAP) |
21 November 1991 | 6 March 1996 | 4 years, 106 days | Süleyman Demirel Tansu Çiller | |
| 19 |  |
Necmettin Erbakan (1926–2011) |
Welfare Party (RP) |
6 March 1996 | 28 June 1996 | 114 days | Mesut Yılmaz | |
| 20 (18) |
|
Mesut Yılmaz (1947–2020) |
Motherland Party (ANAP) |
28 June 1996 | 30 June 1997 | 1 year, 2 days | Necmettin Erbakan | |
| 21 (19) |
|
Necmettin Erbakan (1926–2011) |
Welfare Party (RP) |
30 June 1997 | 17 December 1997 | 170 days | Mesut Yılmaz | |
| 22 | |
İsmail Alptekin (born 1943) |
Virtue Party (FP) |
17 December 1997 | 14 May 1998 | 148 days | Mesut Yılmaz | |
| 23 |  |
Recai Kutan (1930–2024) |
Virtue Party (FP) |
14 May 1998 | 22 June 2001 | 3 years, 39 days | Mesut Yılmaz Bülent Ecevit | |
| 24 |  |
Tansu Çiller (born 1946) |
True Path Party (DYP) |
22 June 2001 | 19 November 2002 | 1 year, 150 days | Bülent Ecevit | |
| 25 |  |
Deniz Baykal (1938–2023) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
19 November 2002 | 22 May 2010 | 7 years, 184 days | Abdullah Gül Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | |
| 26 | .jpg) |
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (born 1948) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
22 May 2010 | 5 November 2023 | 13 years, 167 days | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Ahmet Davutoğlu Binali Yıldırım | |
| 27 | .jpg) |
Özgür Özel (born 1974) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
8 November 2023 | 21 May 2026[a] | 2 years, 194 days | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | |
| 28 (26) |
.jpg) |
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (born 1948) |
Republican People's Party (CHP) |
21 May 2026[b] | 24 July 2026 | 64 days | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | |
| 29 (27) |
 |
Özgür Özel (born 1974) |
New Party (YEP) |
24 July 2026 | Incumbent | 45 days | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | |
- Notes
- Removed from office by interim injunction of the 36th Civil Chamber of the Ankara Regional Court of Justice, which declared the 38th CHP Ordinary Convention null and void. Özel contests the ruling; appeal to the Court of Cassation pending.
- Reinstated on an interim basis by court order. His reinstatement is disputed by Özel and the CHP executive board; the status of the leadership is subject to ongoing litigation before the Court of Cassation.
Timeline
