Süleyman Demirel
Turkey’s ninth president and seven-time prime minister, Süleyman Demirel, has died at the age of 90.
He passed away early on Wednesday morning of heart failure and a respiratory tract infection at Güven Hospital in the capital, Ankara.
In a tearful announcement, Aylin Cesur, Mr Mr Demirel’s personal doctor, said: “Our respected president who has left indelible traces from the water we drink, to the electricity we use, from the schools we study at, to these hospitals, the dams and the airports, has passed away.”
One of the leading figures in Turkey’s politics in the past half century, Mr Demirel served as president from 1993 to 2000 and was prime minister seven times from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Mr Demirel, twice overthrown by military coups in 1971 and 1980, was one of Turkey’s great political leaders who survived his dismissals in the coups to become president.
He was born on November 1, 1924 in Islamkoy in southwestern Turkey, and came to power for the first time with a landslide win in 1965.
Mr Demirel’s populist style and his rural background caused him to be known as “Sulu the shepherd.”
Critics often accused him of U-turns and inconsistencies in politics in various periods of time. His well-known response was “Yesterday was yesterday — and today is today.”
Mr Demirel and his wife Nazmiye, who died in May 2013, had no children.
In a short statement President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid tribute to Mr Demirel.
He wrote on the Turkish presidency website: “I have learnt with deep sorrow that our ninth president Süleyman Mr Demirel, who left his mark on Turkish political history and contributed to development process of our country, has passed away.
“He will be always remembered by our honoured people in the future for his important role as a politician and his service to our country.
“I offer my condolences to his family and our people.”
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu also offered his condolences on his official Twitter account saying: “It is with deep sorrow to learn about the passing away of Turkey’s ninth president Süleyman Demirel, who left his mark on Turkish political history has passed away.”
