Ecevit, Bülent

Ecevit, Bülent (1925- ), Turkish Prime Minister (1974, 1978-1979, 1999- ), born in İstanbul. A poet and student of literature, he turned to politics as a protégé of Ismet Inönü, leader of the Republican People's Party (RPP), and was elected to parliament in 1957; from 1961 to 1965 he served as Minister of Labour in Inönü's Cabinets, making strikes legal for the first time in Turkey. Breaking with Inönü over the intervention of the military in 1971, he won leadership of the RPP the following year. In 1974 he formed a coalition government, declaring an amnesty for all political prisoners, and briefly became a national hero when he ordered the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. His coalition broke apart, however, and he was forced to resign later that year.

He returned to power in 1978, after heading a government for 14 days in 1977, but after a year of escalating political terrorism and economic deterioration, he resigned. His continuing political activities repeatedly brought him into conflict with the government. In 1995 his Democratic Left Party joined a short-lived anti-Islamicist coalition with the True Path Party of Tansu Çiller. In July 1997 Ecevit led his party into a coalition government with the Motherland Party under Mesut Yilmaz. In January 1999, following the collapse of Yilmaz's administration, he formed his own coalition government. In February 1999 he welcomed the capture of the leading anti-Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan. Following the general elections in April 1999, he remained in office at the head of a new coalition with strong nationalist elements.