Celâl Bayar
Mahmut Celâlettin "Celâl" Bayar (16 May 1883 – 22 August 1986) was a Turkish economist and politician who was the third president of Turkey from 1950 to 1960; previously he was the prime minister of Turkey from 1937 to 1939.
Mahmut Celâl Bayar | |
|---|---|
Bayar c. 1950s | |
| 3rd President of Turkey | |
| In office 27 May 1950 – 27 May 1960 | |
| Prime Minister | Adnan Menderes |
| Preceded by | İsmet İnönü |
| Succeeded by | Cemal Gürsel |
| 3rd Prime Minister of Turkey | |
| In office 1 November 1937 – 25 January 1939 | |
| President | Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Abdülhalik Renda (Acting) İsmet İnönü |
| Preceded by | İsmet İnönü |
| Succeeded by | Refik Saydam |
| Leader of the Democrat Party | |
| In office 7 June 1946 – 9 June 1950 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Adnan Menderes |
| Member of the Grand National Assembly | |
| In office 28 June 1923 – 27 May 1960 | |
| Constituency | Izmir (1923, 1927, 1931, 1935, 1939, 1943, 1946) Istanbul (1950, 1954, 1957) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mahmut Celâlettin 16 May 1883 Gemlik, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 22 August 1986 (aged 103) Istanbul, Turkey |
| Political party | Democrat Party (1946–1961) Republican People's Party (1923–1945) Committee of Union and Progress (1908–1922) |
| Spouse | Reşide Bayar |
| Relations | Ahmet İhsan Gürsoy (son-in-law) |
| Children | Refii Bayar Turgut Bayar Nilüfer Bayar |
| Signature | |
Bayar began his career in the Committee of Union and Progress, establishing its Izmir and Bursa branches. Following the declaration of the Republic, he founded much of Turkey's early financial institutions, including the country's first bank, İş Bankası. An advocate of liberal economic policies, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk appointed Bayar prime minister in 1937 to liberalize the economy, until he resigned in 1939 under Atatürk's successor, İsmet İnönü.
Until 1945, he was a member of Republican People's Party (CHP) which was the sole legal party. In 1946, he founded the Democrat Party along with Adnan Menderes, Fuat Köprülü and Refik Koraltan beginning Turkey's multiparty period, which still goes on to this day. A peaceful transfer of power from the CHP to DP happened in the 1950 elections, after which Bayar as elected Turkey's third president. He was re-elected in 1954 and 1957, serving for 10 years as president. In that period, Menderes was his prime minister. He was overthrown and incarcerated after the 1960 coup d'etat, and advocated for the restoration of rights of former politicians associated with the Democrat Party following his release.
He is considered to be the longest-lived former head of state and was the longest-lived state leader until 8 December 2008 (when he was surpassed by Chau Sen Cocsal Chhum). Celâl Bayar died on 22 August 1986 at the age of 103 after a brief illness.