Democratic Party (Turkey) - Definition and Overview

The Democratic Party (Demokrat Parti) of Turkey was the first legal opposition party, opposing the dominant Republican People's Party which had established the Turkish Republic. It was founded by Adnan Menderes, who became Prime Minister of Turkey in 1950. The Democratic Party did not repudiate the Republican People's Party's policy of Westernization, but did not pursue it with quite the same vigour. It was also less militantly secular than the Republican People's Party. The Democratic Party was removed from government when General Cemal Gürsel staged a military coup, ousting Menderes as Prime Minister — the military feared that the founding principles of the Turkish Republic were being eroded, and there was growing public dissatisfaction with Menderes' perceived intolerance of criticism. Menderes was later executed.