Nationalist Movement Party
Encyclopedia
The Nationalist Movement Party (also translated as 'Nationalist Action Party') , is a far-right political party
in Turkey
.
In the 2002 general elections
, the party had lost its 129 seats as it had won only 8.34% of the national vote (2,619,450 votes). In the 2007 general elections
, the party won 14.29% of the national vote (5,004,003 votes) with 71 seats becoming the third political group in the parliament
.
In the 2011 general elections
, the party polled 13.01% (5,585,513 votes) and won 53 seats, remaining the third largest parliamentary group.
gained control of the conservative rural Republican Villagers National Party . During an Extraordinary Great Congress held at Adana
in Turkey on 8–9 February 1969, Türkeş changed the name of the party to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
The MHP embraced Turkish nationalism
, and under the leadership of Türkeş, militias connected to the party were responsible for assassinating numerous left-wing intellectuals and academics, including some Kurds, during the 1970s. The leader of the party's youth wing, known as the Grey Wolves
after Turkic mythology, claimed that they had an intelligence organization that was superior to the state's own.
When the Turkish army seized power on September 12, 1980, in a violent coup d'etat led by General Kenan Evren
, the party was banned, along with all other active political parties at the time, and many of its leading members were imprisoned. Many party members joined the neo-liberal Anavatan Partisi or various Islamist parties. Party member (Agâh Oktay Güner) noted that the party's ideology was in power while its members were in prison.
The party later was reformed in 1983 under the name of the Conservative Party . After 1985, however, the name was changed to the Nationalist Task Party then back again to its former name in 1992. In 1993, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
and five other deputies separated and founded the Great Union Party
, which is an ultra-nationalist Islamist party.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
In the 2002 general elections
Turkish general election, 2002
Turkey's 15th general election was held on November 3, 2002 following the collapse of the DSP-MHP-ANAP coalition led by Bülent Ecevit. It was won by the Justice and Development Party , led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, producing a crushing majority in spite of their winning just 34.3% of the national vote...
, the party had lost its 129 seats as it had won only 8.34% of the national vote (2,619,450 votes). In the 2007 general elections
Turkish general election, 2007
Turkey's 16th general election was held on July 22, 2007 and resulted in a resounding victory for the incumbent Justice and Development Party...
, the party won 14.29% of the national vote (5,004,003 votes) with 71 seats becoming the third political group in the parliament
Grand National Assembly of Turkey
The Grand National Assembly of Turkey , usually referred to simply as the Meclis , is the unicameral Turkish legislature. It is the sole body given the legislative prerogatives by the Turkish Constitution. It was founded in Ankara on 23 April 1920 in the midst of the Turkish War of Independence...
.
In the 2011 general elections
Turkish general election, 2011
Turkey's 17th general election was held on 12 June 2011 to elect 550 new members of Grand National Assembly. They were Turkey's first non-early elections in 34 years.-Background:...
, the party polled 13.01% (5,585,513 votes) and won 53 seats, remaining the third largest parliamentary group.
History
In 1965, nationalist politician Alparslan TürkeşAlparslan Türkes
Alparslan Türkeş was a Cypriot-born Turkish nationalist politician who was the founder and former president of the Nationalist Movement Party party...
gained control of the conservative rural Republican Villagers National Party . During an Extraordinary Great Congress held at Adana
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
in Turkey on 8–9 February 1969, Türkeş changed the name of the party to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
The MHP embraced Turkish nationalism
Turkish nationalism
Turkish nationalism is a political ideology that promotes and glorifies the Turkish people, as either a national, ethnic or linguistic group and puts the interests of the state over other influences, including religious ones.-Pan-Turkism:...
, and under the leadership of Türkeş, militias connected to the party were responsible for assassinating numerous left-wing intellectuals and academics, including some Kurds, during the 1970s. The leader of the party's youth wing, known as the Grey Wolves
Grey Wolves
The Idealist Youth , commonly known as Grey Wolves , is an ultra-nationalist neo-fascist youth organization. It is accused of terrorism. According to Turkish authorities, the organization carried out 694 murders between 1974–1980.-Name:...
after Turkic mythology, claimed that they had an intelligence organization that was superior to the state's own.
When the Turkish army seized power on September 12, 1980, in a violent coup d'etat led by General Kenan Evren
Kenan Evren
Ahmet Kenan Evren was the seventh President of Turkey; a post he assumed by leading the 1980 military coup. He was also the last president to be born in the Ottoman Empire.- Biography :...
, the party was banned, along with all other active political parties at the time, and many of its leading members were imprisoned. Many party members joined the neo-liberal Anavatan Partisi or various Islamist parties. Party member (Agâh Oktay Güner) noted that the party's ideology was in power while its members were in prison.
The party later was reformed in 1983 under the name of the Conservative Party . After 1985, however, the name was changed to the Nationalist Task Party then back again to its former name in 1992. In 1993, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu
Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was a Turkish politician and member of the Parliament of Turkey. He was the leader and founder of the Great Union Party , a right-wing, nationalist political party....
and five other deputies separated and founded the Great Union Party
Great Union Party
The Great Union Party is a nationalist political party in Turkey, created on January 29, 1993. It is considered to be close to the Grey Wolves organization, and is related to the "Alperen Ocakları" tendency, which operated a synthesis between Islamism and Turkish Nationalism, and separated itself...
, which is an ultra-nationalist Islamist party.
General Elections
| Election date | Party leader | Number of votes received | Percentage of votes | Number of deputies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 Turkish general election, 1969 General elections were held in Turkey on 12 October 1969. The result was a victory for the Justice Party, which won 256 of the 450 seats. Voter turnout was 64.3%.-Results:... |
Alparslan Türkeş Alparslan Türkes Alparslan Türkeş was a Cypriot-born Turkish nationalist politician who was the founder and former president of the Nationalist Movement Party party... |
274,225 | 3.02% | 1/450 |
| 1973 Turkish general election, 1973 General elections were held in Turkey on 14 October 1973. The result was a victory for the Republican People's Party , who won 185 of the 450 seats. Voter turnout was 66.8%.... |
Alparslan Türkeş Alparslan Türkes Alparslan Türkeş was a Cypriot-born Turkish nationalist politician who was the founder and former president of the Nationalist Movement Party party... |
362,208 | 3.38% | 3/450 |
| 1977 Turkish general election, 1977 General elections were held in Turkey on 5 June 1977. Elections took place in the middle of a political race between the right wing party AP and the left wing party CHP. With the charismatic leadership of Bülent Ecevit, CHP managed to beat one of the symbol figures of the conservative politics of... |
Alparslan Türkeş Alparslan Türkes Alparslan Türkeş was a Cypriot-born Turkish nationalist politician who was the founder and former president of the Nationalist Movement Party party... |
951,544 | 6.42% | 16/450 |
| 1995 Turkish general election, 1995 Turkey's 13th general election was held on Sunday December 24, 1995, triggered after the newly reformed Republican People's Party withdrew from a coalition with the True Path Party... |
Alparslan Türkeş Alparslan Türkes Alparslan Türkeş was a Cypriot-born Turkish nationalist politician who was the founder and former president of the Nationalist Movement Party party... |
2,301,343 | 8.18% | 0/550 |
| 1999 Turkish general election, 1999 Turkey's 14th general election was held on Sunday April 18, 1999 and was the first election in Turkish history to combine local, council and parliamentary elections on the same day. Bülent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party , soaring in popularity after the capture of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan,... |
Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and has been the second chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party since 6 July 1997.... |
5,606,634 | 17.98% | 129/550 |
| 2002 Turkish general election, 2002 Turkey's 15th general election was held on November 3, 2002 following the collapse of the DSP-MHP-ANAP coalition led by Bülent Ecevit. It was won by the Justice and Development Party , led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, producing a crushing majority in spite of their winning just 34.3% of the national vote... |
Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and has been the second chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party since 6 July 1997.... |
2,629,808 | 8.35% | 0/550 |
| 2007 Turkish general election, 2007 Turkey's 16th general election was held on July 22, 2007 and resulted in a resounding victory for the incumbent Justice and Development Party... |
Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and has been the second chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party since 6 July 1997.... |
5,001,869 | 14.27% | 71/550 |
| 2011 Turkish general election, 2011 Turkey's 17th general election was held on 12 June 2011 to elect 550 new members of Grand National Assembly. They were Turkey's first non-early elections in 34 years.-Background:... |
Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and has been the second chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party since 6 July 1997.... |
5,585,513 | 13.01% | 53/550 |
Local Elections
| Election date | Party leader | Provincial council votes | Percentage of votes | Number of municipalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 Turkish local elections, 1994 Turkey held local elections on 27 March 1994.-Mayor of metropolitan municipality:-External links:*... |
Alparslan Türkeş Alparslan Türkes Alparslan Türkeş was a Cypriot-born Turkish nationalist politician who was the founder and former president of the Nationalist Movement Party party... |
2,239,117 | 7.95% | 118 |
| 1999 Turkish local elections, 1999 -Results:-Mayor of metropolitan municipality:-External links:*... |
Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and has been the second chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party since 6 July 1997.... |
5,401,597 | 17.17% | 499 |
| 2004 Turkish local elections, 2004 On March 28, 2004, Turks voted in nationwide municipal elections for the mayors of more than 3,000 cities and towns, as well as administrative council members for all eighty-one Turkish provinces.... |
Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and has been the second chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party since 6 July 1997.... |
3,372,249 | 10.45% | 248 |
| 2009 Turkish local elections, 2009 Turkey held local elections on 29 March 2009. The overal winner was the ruling party Justice and Development Party, although the party saw a decline in its vote relative to the 2007 general election... |
Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli is a Turkish politician and has been the second chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party since 6 July 1997.... |
9,419,485 | 16.07% | 490 |