1961 in Turkey
# 1961 in Turkey

Events in the year 1961 in Turkey.

## Parliament

* 12th Parliament of Turkey (from 6 January)

## Incumbents

* President – Cemal Gürsel
* Prime Minister

       Cemal Gürsel (up to 26 October)
       Fahri Özdilek, acting (26 October – 20 November)
       İsmet İnönü (from 20 November)
* Leader of the opposition – Ekrem Alican (from 12 November)

## Ruling party and the main opposition

* Ruling party – Republican People's Party (CHP) and coalition partner (Justice Party (AP)) (from 20 November)
* Main opposition – New Turkey Party (YTP) (from 20 November)

## Cabinet

* 24th government of Turkey (up to 5 January)
* 25th government of Turkey (5 January – 20 November)
* 26th government of Turkey (from 20 November)

## Events

* 6 January – constituent assembly
* 1 April – The ban on political activities was lifted
* 3 June – Fenerbahçe won the championship of Turkish football league.
* 9 July – Referendum on the new Turkish constitution (65% approved)
* 15 September – Verdicts (on the Democrat Party (DP) members) pronounced
* 16/17 September – Executions of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and Minister of Finance Hasan Polatkan
* 15 October – General elections (CHP 173 seats, AP 158 seats, YTP 65 seats, CKMP 54 seats)
* 26 October – Cemal Gürsel was elected as the new president. Fahri Özdilek was appointed as the acting prime minister.
* 20 November - Civilian government

## Births

* 1 January – Edibe Sözen, politician
* 31 January – Fatih Kısaparmak, singer and songwriter
* 3 May – Leyla Zana, politician
* 15 June – Gülten Kışanak, politician
* 1 July – Birgül Ayman Güler, politician
* 17 December – Ersun Yanal, football coach

## Deaths

* 8 January – Yaşar Doğu (aged 48), wrestler
* 26 February – Hasan Ali Yücel (aged 64), writer and former minister of National education
* 16 June – Peyami Safa (aged 62), writer and journalist
* 16 September – Hasan Polatkan (aged 46), former minister of Finance
* 16 September – Fatin Rüştü Zorlu (aged 51), former minister of Foreign Affairs
* 17 September – Adnan Menderes (aged 62), former prime minister (19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd government of Turkey)
* 19 September – Şemsettin Günaltay (aged 78), former prime minister (1940s)

## Gallery

* Cemal Gürsel
* İsmet İnönü
* Leyla Zana
* Birgül Ayman Güler
* Hasan Ali Yücel
* Adnan Menderes
* Şemsettin Günaltay
