SÜLEYMAN DEMIREL
Turkish political leader born in 1924 in Islamköy-Isparta,
his father was Yahya and mother Ummahan. He finished his middle school
and high schools in Isparta and Afyonkarahisar.
In February 1949 he was graduated from Istanbul
Technical University as an engineer. In April 1949 he started to work in
the Department of Electrical Works and same year he was sent to the United
States for his compulsory training, there he worked on Irrigation and Electrification
projects between September 1949 and September 1950. He worked as the responsible
engineer of the company who built Seyhan Damn in 1952, as the head of the
Department of Damns in 1954, and as the general director of the Department
of Irrigation Project (DSI) in 1955. Between 1954 and 1955 he practiced
in the United States several more times. In July 1960 he left DSI and did
his military service until the end of 1961. After his military service
he freelanced between 1962-1964 and thought in the Middle East Technical
University (ODTÜ) in Ankara for a while.
He became the leader of the Justice Party (AP) in November 1964 until
October 1981, deputy prime minister in February 1965, and prime
minister in October 1965, he formed the government for seven times
and was the prime minister for a total of more
than 10 years. His failure to halt civil anarchy in the form of student
riots, leftist agitation, and political terrorism forced the resignation
of his centrist government in 1971 with a military
coup. He served as prime minister again between
1975-80 (until another military intervention)
as a coalition government leader and once more from 1991 to 1993, at which time he
became president after the sudden death of Turgut Özal.
Lately he finished his term of seven years in presidency and retired on
May 16th, 2000.
He is married and speaks English.