text: Prelude The 1970s in Turkey was characterized by political turmoil and violence. Since 1968–69, a proportional representation system had made it difficult for any one party to achieve a parliamentary majority. The interests of the industrial bourgeoisie, which held the largest holdings of the country, were opposed by other social classes such as smaller industrialists, traders, rural notables, and landlords, whose interests did not always coincide among themselves. Numerous agricultural and industrial reforms sought by parts of the middle upper classes were blocked by others.
  By the end of the 1970s, Turkey was in an unstable situation with unsolved economic and social problems, facing strike actions, and the partial paralysis of parliamentary politics. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey had been unable to elect a president during the six months preceding the coup.
  In 1975 conservative Justice Party () leader Süleyman Demirel was succeeded as Prime Minister by the leader of the social-democratic Republican People's Party (), Bülent Ecevit.
  Demirel formed a coalition with the Nationalist Front (), the National Salvation Party (, an Islamist party led by Necmettin Erbakan), and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (, MHP) led by Alparslan Türkeş.
  The MHP used the opportunity to infiltrate state security services, seriously aggravating the low-intensity war between the rival factions. Politicians seemed unable to stem the growing violence in the country.
  The elections of 1977 had no winner. At first, Demirel continued the coalition with the Nationalist Front. But in 1978, Ecevit once again took power with the help of some deputies who had moved from one party to another, until 1979, when Demirel once again became Prime Minister.