Heads of State of Turkey
Ottoman Empire
Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Mehmed II the Conqueror
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 30 1432; d. May 3 1481.
House of Osman
1444 – 1446
Mehmed II the Conqueror
Date of birth/date of death: b. March 30 1432; d. May 3 1481.
House of Osman
1451 – 1481
Suleiman I the Magnificent
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 6 1494; d. September 6 1566.
House of Osman
1520 – 1566
Mahmud II
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 20 1785; d. July 1 1839.
House of Osman
1808 – 1839
Abdulaziz
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 8 1830; d. June 4 1876.
House of Osman
1861 – 1876
Republic of Turkey
Heads of State of the Republic of Turkey
The presidency of the Republic of Turkey has existed since the proclamation of the republic in 1923. The office was originally conceived within a parliamentary system, in which the president served primarily as head of state while executive authority was exercised by the government led by the prime minister. The president was elected by the Grand National Assembly and, although formally entrusted with certain constitutional powers—such as appointing the prime minister, promulgating laws, and representing the state—was generally expected to remain above party politics and act as a largely ceremonial figure.
In practice, the influence of the presidency varied across different periods of Turkish political history. During the early republic, the office was held by dominant political figures such as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and İsmet İnönü, whose authority stemmed as much from their political leadership as from constitutional design. Following the introduction of competitive multi-party politics after 1950, the presidency gradually evolved toward a more neutral and symbolic role, although military interventions in 1960, 1971, and 1980 periodically altered the balance of power and produced constitutional reforms affecting the office. The constitutions of 1961 and 1982 both preserved the parliamentary framework but granted the president somewhat stronger supervisory and guardian roles within the political system.
A major transformation occurred in the twenty-first century. In 2007 a constitutional amendment introduced direct popular election of the president, replacing the previous parliamentary selection. A further constitutional overhaul approved in a 2017 referendum abolished the office of prime minister and converted Turkey to a presidential system, concentrating executive authority in the presidency. Under this arrangement, implemented after the 2018 elections, the president serves simultaneously as head of state and head of government, appoints ministers without parliamentary approval, and exercises broad authority over the executive branch while remaining subject to electoral accountability.
President of the Republic of Turkey
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Date of birth/date of death: b. c. 1881; d. November 10 1938.
Republican People’s Party
1923 – 1938
Mustafa Abdülhalik Renda (*acting)
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 29 1881; d. October 1 1957.
Republican People’s Party
1938
Mustafa İsmet İnönü
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 24 1884; d. December 25 1973.
Republican People’s Party
1938 – 1950
Mahmut Celâlettin “Celâl” Bayar
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 16 1883; d. August 22 1986.
Democrat Party
1950 – 1960
On May 27 1960 the Turkish military carried out a coup d’état, overthrowing the elected government of President Celâl Bayar and Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and bringing an end to Turkey’s first decade of multi-party rule under the Democrat Party. General Cemal Gürsel, the commander of the Turkish army, was proclaimed chair of the military government, called the National Unity Committee. The military justified its intervention as a defence of the constitutional order and the principles of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Chair of the National Unity Committee
General Cemal Gürsel
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1895; d. September 14 1966.
Non-Partisan (Military)
1960 – 1961
The military junta oversaw the drafting of the more liberal 1961 constitution, which restructured political institutions and expanded the formal role of the presidency. General Gürsel was then elected president by the Grand National Assembly to a term beginning October 26 1961.
President of the Republic of Turkey
Cemal Gürsel
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1895; d. September 14 1966.
Independent
1961 – 1966
İbrahim Şevki Atasagun (*acting)
Date of birth/date of death: b. 1899; d. May 28 1984.
Justice Party
1966
Ahmet Cevdet Sunay
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 10 1899; d. May 22 1982.
Independent
1966 – 1973
Mehmet Tekin Arıburun (*acting)
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 3 1903; d. August 13 1993.
Justice Party
1973
Fahri Sabit Korutürk
Date of birth/date of death: b. August 15 1903; d. October 12 1987.
Independent
1973 – 1980
İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil (*acting)
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 1 1908; d. December 30 1993.
Justice Party
1980
Amid severe political instability and violence between rival factions, the Turkish military carried out another coup d’état on September 12 1980. A military junta called the National Security Council was set up, headed by the Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Kenan Evren.
Chair of the National Security Council
General Ahmet Kenan Evren
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 17 1917; d. May 9 2015.
Non-Partisan (Military)
1980 – 1982
After two years of military rule, General Evren became president on November 9 1982, after the ratification of a new constitution which remains in effect to this day (with later amendments).
President of the Republic of Turkey
Ahmet Kenan Evren
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 17 1917; d. May 9 2015.
Independent
1982 – 1989
Halil Turgut Özal
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1927; d. April 17 1993.
Independent
1989 – 1993
Ahmet Hüsamettin Cindoruk (*acting)
Date of birth/date of death: b. June 8 1933; d. April 11 2026.
True Path Party
1993
Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 1 1924; d. June 17 2015.
Independent
1993 – 2000
Ahmet Necdet Sezer
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 13 1941.
Independent
2000 – 2007
Abdullah Gül
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1950.
Independent
2007 – 2014
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 26 1954.
Other prominent offices: Prime Minister of Turkey (2003 – 2014); Mayor of Istanbul (1994 – 1998); Leader of the Justice and Development Party (2001 – 2014; 2017 – present).
Independent (2014 – 2017); Justice and Development Party (2017 – present)
2014 – present
Deputy Heads of State of the Republic of Turkey
The office of vice president of Turkey was established as part of the constitutional reforms approved in the 2017 referendum and implemented with the transition to a presidential system in 2018. Under this framework, the vice president is appointed by the president and serves as a senior member of the executive, assisting in the administration of government and coordinating state functions.
Unlike vice presidencies in some other systems, the Turkish vice president is not independently elected and does not possess a separate political mandate. The office’s primary constitutional role is to act as acting president in the event of a vacancy or temporary absence, ensuring continuity of executive authority. The creation of the vice presidency reflects the broader centralization of executive power in the presidency following the abolition of the prime minister’s office.
Vice President of the Republic of Turkey
Fuat Oktay
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 21 1964.
Justice and Development Party
2018 – 2023
Cevdet Yılmaz
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 1 1967.
Justice and Development Party
2023 – present
Heads of Government of the Republic of Turkey
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey
Abdullah Gül
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1950.
Justice and Development Party
2002 – 2003
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 26 1954.
Justice and Development Party
2003 – 2014
Ahmet Davutoğlu
Date of birth/date of death: b. February 26 1959.
Justice and Development Party
2014 – 2016
Binali Yıldırım
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 20 1955.
Justice and Development Party
2016 – 2018
Heads of Government of Turkey
Ottoman Empire
Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Mehmed Esad Saffet Pasha
Date of birth/date of death: b. 1814; d. 1883.
Non-Partisan
1878
Government of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
Prime Minister of the Government of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Date of birth/date of death: b. c. 1881; d. November 10 1938.
Association for the Defence of Rights of Anatolia and Rumelia
1920 – 1921
Republic of Turkey
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey
Mustafa İsmet İnönü
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 24 1884; d. December 25 1973.
Republican People’s Party
1923 – 1924
Mustafa İsmet İnönü
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 24 1884; d. December 25 1973.
Republican People’s Party
1925 – 1937
Mahmut Celâlettin “Celâl” Bayar
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 16 1883; d. August 22 1986.
Republican People’s Party
1937 – 1939
General Cemal Gürsel
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1895; d. September 14 1966.
Non-Partisan (Military)
1960 – 1961
Mustafa İsmet İnönü
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 24 1884; d. December 25 1973.
Republican People’s Party
1961 – 1965
Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 1 1924; d. June 17 2015.
Justice Party
1965 – 1971
Mustafa Bülent Ecevit
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 28 1925; d. November 5 2006.
Republican People’s Party
1974
Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 1 1924; d. June 17 2015.
Justice Party
1975 – 1977
Mustafa Bülent Ecevit
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 28 1925; d. November 5 2006.
Republican People’s Party
1977
Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 1 1924; d. June 17 2015.
Justice Party
1977 – 1978
Mustafa Bülent Ecevit
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 28 1925; d. November 5 2006.
Republican People’s Party
1978 – 1979
Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 1 1924; d. June 17 2015.
Justice Party
1979 – 1980
Halil Turgut Özal
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1927; d. April 17 1993.
Motherland Party
1983 – 1989
Ahmet Mesut Yılmaz
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 6 1947; d. October 30 2020.
Motherland Party
1991
Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 1 1924; d. June 17 2015.
True Path Party
1991 – 1993
Tansu Çiller
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 24 1946.
True Path Party
1993 – 1996
Ahmet Mesut Yılmaz
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 6 1947; d. October 30 2020.
Motherland Party
1996
Necmettin Erbakan
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1926; d. February 27 2011.
Welfare Party
1996 – 1997
Ahmet Mesut Yılmaz
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 6 1947; d. October 30 2020.
Motherland Party
1997 – 1999
Mustafa Bülent Ecevit
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 28 1925; d. November 5 2006.
Democratic Left Party
1999 – 2002
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey
Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 1 1924; d. June 17 2015.
Justice Party
1965
Necmettin Erbakan
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1926; d. February 27 2011.
National Salvation Party
1974
Necmettin Erbakan
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1926; d. February 27 2011.
National Salvation Party
1975 – 1977
Necmettin Erbakan
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1926; d. February 27 2011.
National Salvation Party
1977 – 1978
Halil Turgut Özal
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 13 1927; d. April 17 1993.
National Salvation Party
1980 – 1982
Deniz Baykal
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 20 1938; d. February 11 2023.
Republican People’s Party
1995 – 1996
Tansu Çiller
Date of birth/date of death: b. May 24 1946.
True Path Party
1996 – 1997
Devlet Bahçeli
Date of birth/date of death: b. January 1 1948.
Nationalist Movement Party
1999 – 2002
Ahmet Mesut Yılmaz
Date of birth/date of death: b. November 6 1947; d. October 30 2020.
Motherland Party
2000 – 2002
Mehmet Ali Şahin
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 16 1950.
Justice and Development Party
2002 – 2003
Abdullah Gül
Date of birth/date of death: b. October 29 1950.
Justice and Development Party
2003 – 2007
Ali Babacan
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 4 1967.
Justice and Development Party
2009 – 2015
Cevdet Yılmaz
Date of birth/date of death: b. April 1 1967.
Justice and Development Party
2015
Numan Kurtulmuş
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 15 1959.
Justice and Development Party
2016 – 2017
Main Opposition Leader
Deniz Baykal
Date of birth/date of death: b. July 20 1938; d. February 11 2023.
Republican People’s Party
2002 – 2010
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
Date of birth/date of death: b. December 17 1948.
Republican People’s Party
2010 – 2023
Özgür Özel
Date of birth/date of death: b. September 21 1974.
Republican People’s Party
2023 – present