Leaders who served as party chairmen for the longest time

10- Osman Bölükbaşı (18 Years)

Osman Bölükbaşı was a Turkish politician born in Kayseri in 1916. He entered politics in 1946 as one of the founders of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP). He served as a member of parliament in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey between 1950 and 1960. Bölükbaşı is particularly known for his nationalist and conservative political stance.

He became an important figure in Turkish political life in the 1950s, and in the 1960s, he drew attention with his influence on Turkey's political structure. In the 1965 elections, he became the leader of the Republican Villagers Nation Party (CKMP) and achieved significant success by bringing his party into parliament. Known throughout his political career for his unique views and courageous demeanor, Bölükbaşı secured an important place in Turkey's multi-party system.

Osman Bölükbaşı ended his political life in 1983 and passed away in 1984. The legacy he left in Turkish politics is still discussed and remembered today.

9- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (19 Years)

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician, businessman, and the 12th President of the Republic of Turkey, born in Istanbul on February 26, 1954. After graduating from the Faculty of Economics and Commerce at Istanbul University, he entered politics in the 1970s and played an active role in the Welfare Party (Refah Partisi). He served as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality between 1994 and 1998, during which time he implemented significant projects in the city.

Erdoğan, who founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2001, achieved a major victory in the 2002 general elections with his party and assumed the office of Prime Minister. He served as the Prime Minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014, during which time he took important steps in various fields such as economic growth, infrastructure projects, and healthcare reforms.

In 2014, he became Turkey's first directly elected president. In this role, he managed the transition process to the presidential system by ensuring a change in Turkey's political system. He has made controversial decisions in domestic politics and has frequently faced opposition. In foreign policy, he has undertaken many diplomatic initiatives aimed at increasing Turkey's influence.

Erdoğan is considered a significant figure in Turkey's modern history and continues to have a broad influence both nationally and internationally.

8- Necmettin Erbakan (20 Years)

Necmettin Erbakan was a Turkish politician, engineer, and academic born in Sinop on October 29, 1926. He received his mechanical engineering degree from Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) and subsequently completed his doctorate in Germany. Erbakan carried out significant work in the fields of industry and engineering in Turkey, initiating national industrial moves and ventures in the automotive sector during the 1960s.

He began his political career in 1969 as the founding leader of the National Order Party (MNP). When this party was closed in 1971, Erbakan continued his political life by founding the National Salvation Party (MSP) in 1972. The MSP achieved significant success in the 1973 general elections and entered a coalition government. Erbakan served as the Prime Minister of Turkey between 1974 and 1975, during which time he implemented various social and economic reforms.

His political life was suspended for a time following the 1980 military coup, and he returned to politics in 1987. In the 1990s, he founded the Welfare Party (RP) and took office as its Prime Minister following the 1996 general elections. Erbakan enabled an Islamist party to come to power for the first time in Turkey's political history. However, he was forced to resign from his post in 1997 during a process referred to as a "post-modern coup."

Throughout his political life, Erbakan advocated for an economy and social life based on Islamic values and promoted the idea of a "Just Order" (Adil Düzen). In the 2000s, he laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi). Necmettin Erbakan passed away in Istanbul on February 27, 2011. As a significant figure in Turkey's political history, Erbakan was a leader who contributed particularly to the development of the Islamist political tradition.

7- Süleyman Demirel (22 Years)

Süleyman Demirel was born on November 1, 1924, in the Atabey district of Isparta; he was a Turkish politician, engineer, and the 9th President of Turkey. After receiving his civil engineering degree from Istanbul Technical University, he worked as an engineer on various public projects before entering politics.

Demirel began his active political career in the Justice Party (AP) in the early 1960s and assumed the office of Prime Minister as the party leader following the 1965 general elections. He served as Prime Minister a total of 7 times in Turkish political history and held the office of President between 1993 and 2000.

During his terms as Prime Minister, he implemented various economic and social reforms and developed significant projects for the country's development. He played a key role in the political turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s, returned to political life after the 1980 military coup, and re-established his political party, the Justice Party, in 1983.

Throughout his political life, Demirel was referred to as a "master politician" and was known for his charismatic leadership. In particular, his conciliatory approach and the dialogues and coalitions he established with different political parties secured his significant place in Turkish political history. After leaving the presidency in 2000, he withdrew from political life and passed away on June 17, 2015, at the age of 90. Süleyman Demirel continues to be remembered as an influential leader in Turkey's modern history.

6- Bülent Ecevit (24 Years)

Bülent Ecevit was born on May 28, 1925, in Istanbul and is a prominent leader known as a Turkish politician, poet, and writer. After studying law at Istanbul University, he worked in journalism, serving as a columnist and editor for various newspapers.

Ecevit entered politics in 1957 by joining the Republican People's Party (CHP). After serving as the Secretary-General of the CHP between 1961 and 1965, he entered parliament as a deputy for Istanbul in the 1965 elections. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Turkey between 1974 and 1978 and drew attention for leading the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation. This operation laid the groundwork for the establishment of Turkish administration in northern Cyprus.

Ecevit became prime minister again in the 1999 elections, during which he implemented social democratic policies. He took significant steps, particularly regarding social welfare and labor rights. Throughout his political career, he participated in various coalition governments and became known in Turkish political history for his "poetic politics" approach.

Bülent Ecevit passed away on November 5, 2006. Having had a long and influential history in Turkish politics, Ecevit is remembered as one of the key figures of the social democratic movement. His memories and political legacy hold an important place in Turkey's political history.

5- Devlet Bahçeli (26 Years)

Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), born on January 1, 1948, in the Bahçe district of Osmaniye. After graduating from the Ankara University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, he began his academic career and served as a faculty member at various universities.

Bahçeli, who stepped into his political career in the early 1990s as the deputy chairman of the MHP, became the party's chairman in 1997. In the 1999 general elections, the MHP took part in a coalition government, and during this period, Bahçeli served as the 22nd Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey.

Bahçeli pursues a nationalist and conservative policy and has maintained an active stance on issues such as defending Turkey's national interests, combating terrorism, and protecting the Turkish identity. In the 2000s, he developed various strategies for the restructuring of the MHP and for it to gain a more effective position in the political arena.

His party has played a significant role in Turkey's political agenda, especially since 2015, and has been successful in various elections by forming a coalition with the Justice and Development Party (AKP) under the name of the People's Alliance. Bahçeli is recognized as one of the leaders who has been influential in Turkish politics for a long time.

4- Alparslan Türkeş (29 Years)

Alparslan Türkeş was born on November 25, 1917, in Larnaca, Cyprus, and was a Turkish politician, soldier, and the founding leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). After immigrating to Turkey in 1934, Türkeş received medical training at the Ankara GATA and later served as an officer in the Turkish Armed Forces in the 1940s.

In the 1950s, he took an active role in nationalist movements and became a pioneer of nationalist policies by founding the MHP in 1965. As the Chairman of the MHP in 1969, he strengthened the party and became a significant figure in the spread of nationalist ideology. Türkeş played an effective role in Turkey's political arena in the 1970s; his party achieved significant success in the 1973 elections and participated in coalition governments.

Throughout his political life, Alparslan Türkeş represented Turkish nationalism and the Idealist movement. He was arrested following the 1980 coup but was later released. He played an active role in the restructuring of the MHP in 1983. Passing away in 1997, Türkeş is remembered as one of the symbols of the nationalist movement in Turkey.

3- İsmet İnönü (33 Years)

İsmail Hakkı İnönü was born on September 24, 1884, in İzmir and is recognized as the second President of the Republic of Turkey and a significant politician. He began his military career during the Ottoman Empire period and served on various fronts during World War I.

He played a critical role in the War of Independence, serving as a commander in key battles such as the Battle of Sakarya and the Great Offensive. Following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, he became one of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's closest associates and served as the Prime Minister of Turkey between 1925 and 1938.

After Atatürk's passing in 1938, he assumed the office of President and remained in this position until 1950. İnönü supported modernization efforts during the early years of the republic and took significant steps in the transition to a multi-party system.

Throughout his political career, he collaborated with various political parties and served as the leader of the opposition. İnönü, who passed away in 1973, is remembered as one of the prominent figures in Turkish political history.

2- Doğu Perinçek (35 Years)

Doğu Perinçek is a Turkish politician, author, and lawyer who was born in Tunceli, Turkey, in 1942. Known for his leftist views since the 1960s, Perinçek began his political career with the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) and subsequently became one of the leading figures of the socialist movement in Turkey in the 1970s.

He founded and led various political parties in the 1980s and beyond. He is notably the founding leader of the Vatan Party. Perinçek follows a political line that combines nationalist and socialist views. Throughout his political life, he has focused on issues such as Turkey's national security, socialist ideology, and independence in foreign policy.

Perinçek has written many books and articles, sharing his views on various political and social issues in Turkey with the public. In the 2000s, he drew attention particularly with his statements and legal cases regarding the denial of the Armenian Genocide. His views on this subject have caused controversy both in Turkey and internationally.

Perinçek continues to be an active figure in Turkish politics for many years.

1- Aykut Edibali (37 Years)

Aykut Edibali is a Turkish politician and academic. Born in 1976, Edibali graduated from the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration. He completed his master's degree at the same university. He has held management positions in various business sectors and has also continued his academic career as a lecturer.

He began his political career in 2014, focusing particularly on youth and social policies. Edibali has been actively involved in various non-governmental organizations and has frequently shared his views on social issues. He currently holds positions within certain political parties and continues to contribute to Turkey's political and social issues.

For detailed information and current developments, it is recommended to consult Aykut Edibali's official social media accounts and news sources.