Turkish general election, 1983

Turkish general election, 1983
Turkey
November 6, 1983

Total of 400 seats of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
201 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout 76.6%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Turgut Özal Necdet Calp Turgut Sunalp
Party ANAP HP MDP
Leader since 20 May 1983 21 May 1983 16 May 1983
Leader's seat İstanbul Ankara İzmir
Last election New party New party New party
Seats won 211 117 71
Seat change Increase211 Increase117 Increase71
Popular vote 7,833,148 5,285,804 4,036,970
Percentage 45.14% 30.46% 23.27%
Swing Increase45.14% Increase30.46% Increase23.27%


Prime Minister before election

Süleyman Demirel
AP

Elected Prime Minister

Turgut Özal
ANAP

General elections were held in Turkey on 6 November 1983, the first since 1977 because the democratic rights were abandoned after the military coup of 1980. The National Security Council banned the previous political partied from participating, leading to the establishment of new parties.[1] Turgut Özal's Motherland Party won a significant victory in this elections by gaining 45.14% of the votes. This victory was the starting point of a rapid change in the structure of the state and society in Turkey.[2] Voter turnout was 76.6%.[3]

The People's Party was the continuation of the former CHP and was the only left-wing participant in the election. The Nationalist Democracy Party was founded by the military junta of the time, whilst the Motherland Party was seen as the successor of Justice Party (AP) by some circles but Süleyman Demirel, the leader of AP, would later form DYP to challenge the power of Turgut Özal's Motherland Party.

Results

Turkish general election, 1983
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  ANAP 211 211 0 211 52.8 45.1 7,833,148
  HP 117 117 0 117 29.3 30.5 5,285,804
  MDP 71 71 0 71 17.8 23.3 4,036,970
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 1.1 195,588

18,238,362 votes were cast in all, of which 886,852 (4.86%) were blank or spoiled. Owing to a registration error in the town of Bingöl, ANAP were unable to take one of the seats they had won there, lowering the total number of MPs in the chamber to 399.

References

  1. Turkey - Political Developments since the 1980 Coup Country Studies
  2. ucnokta.com
  3. Nohlen, D, Grotz, F & Hartmann, C (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p257 ISBN 0-19-924958-X