YILMAZ, Mesut

Born in 1947 in Istanbul, Mesut Yilmaz studied political sciences in Ankara, then in London and Köln.

After working for the private sector, he entered political life in 1983 as a close collaborator of Turgut Ozal, the founder of the right-wing Motherland Party (ANAP). Until 1989, he participated in several cabinets (Culture and Tourism, Foreign Affairs). In 1991 he was elected president of ANAP and briefly was Prime Minister from June to November when his party was defeated in the general elections.

After the elections of December 1995, his party ANAP together with the True Path Party (DYP) formed an ephemeral coalition government, then went back into opposition.

He became Prime Minister for the third time in July 1997 when the Erbakan/Ciller government fell.

In November 1998, his government fell when a censure motion tabled by opposition parties was adopted: Yilmaz and some of his ministers were suspected of having strong links with the Turkish mafia.

Portrayed as a fierce adversary of Tansu Ciller, he is however, like her, a supporter of a market economy and of closer links between Turkey and the European Union.

See also:
Turkey
Turkish political parties
Turkey, Elections and Parliament

(january 1999)