TURGUT ÖZAL
He was born in 1927 at Malatya. His father
was Mehmet and mother Hafiza. He finished his elementary school in Silifke,
middle school in Mardin, high school in Kayseri
and, in 1950, he was graduated from Istanbul
Technical University Electrical Engineering. Between 1950-52 he worked
in the E.I.E department and continued his studies in the United States
on Electrical Energy and Engineering Management between 1952-53. After
he came back to Turkey he worked in the E.I.E Department
as tecnical deputy for general directorate until 1958, then in 1959 in
the Planning Commission (DPT) as secretary, and in 1960 in the Planning
Coordination department.
End of 1961 he went to his military service and after he finished his
service, until 1966 he worked in the E.I.E. Department as deputy general
manager.
He worked in the Prime Ministry Special Technical department until February
1967, then General Planning Organization until June 1971 as the director
of different sections like Money Loan desk, European Union desk and Rejection
desk, and then the World Bank until December 1973. From 1973 until December
1979 he was the chairman of several private Turkish companies. From December
1979 until 12th of September 1980 (until the military
coup) he worked in the Prime Ministry as a deputy counselor and after
the military intervention he became the state minister
and deputy prime minister until July 1982.
On 20th of May 1983 he founded the Motherland Political Party (ANAP)
and elected as its leader. After the elections his party won the
elections and he formed the government and became the Prime
Minister. After his Premiere between December 1983 and November 1989
he became the President and died in 1993 of a sudden heart attack while
he was still on duty. He was buried with a state
ceremony in Istanbul, next to the mausoleum
of Adnan Menderes. Süleyman
Demirel became the next President after his death.
Turgut Özal had three children from his wife Semra Özal; one of them
went to the Parliament as well after the elections of 1999,
but stayed out after the elections of 2002.