Adnan Menderes (1899–1961)
Born 1899 CE, died 1961 CE.
Ali Adnan Ertekin Menderes (Turkish: [adˈnan ˈmændeɾes]; 1899 – 17 September 1961) was a Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister of Turkey between 1950 and 1960, and one of the founders of the Democrat Party (DP). Hailing from a landowning family of Western Anatolia, he began his political career in 1930 with the short-lived Liberal Republican Party. After it was banned, he was inducted into the ruling Republican People's Party (CHP), identifying with the party's liberal-conservative faction that was against land reform and national enterprises. With the Motion with Four Signatures incident and internal party opposition to President İsmet İnönü, he was expelled from the CHP in 1945, and cofounded the center-right Democrat Party with Celâl Bayar, Mehmet Fuad Köprülü, and Refik Koraltan. The DP came to power after winning the 1950 general election, which represented a peaceful transition of power from the CHP. Bayar was subsequently elected president, and tasked Menderes as DP leader and prime minister from 1950–1960. Menderes relaxed restrictions on religion.
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