title: 1961 in Turkey
text: # 1961 in Turkey
  
  Events in the year 1961 in Turkey.
  
  ## Parliament
  
  * 12th Parliament of Turkey (from 6 January)
  
  ## Incumbents
  
  * President – Cemal Gürsel
  * Prime Minister
  
         Cemal Gürsel (up to 26 October)
         Fahri Özdilek, acting (26 October – 20 November)
         İsmet İnönü (from 20 November)
  * Leader of the opposition – Ekrem Alican (from 12 November)
  
  ## Ruling party and the main opposition
  
  * Ruling party – Republican People's Party (CHP) and coalition partner (Justice Party (AP)) (from 20 November)
  * Main opposition – New Turkey Party (YTP) (from 20 November)
  
  ## Cabinet
  
  * 24th government of Turkey (up to 5 January)
  * 25th government of Turkey (5 January – 20 November)
  * 26th government of Turkey (from 20 November)
  
  ## Events
  
  * 6 January – constituent assembly
  * 1 April – The ban on political activities was lifted
  * 3 June – Fenerbahçe won the championship of Turkish football league.
  * 9 July – Referendum on the new Turkish constitution (65% approved)
  * 15 September – Verdicts (on the Democrat Party (DP) members) pronounced
  * 16/17 September – Executions of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and Minister of Finance Hasan Polatkan
  * 15 October – General elections (CHP 173 seats, AP 158 seats, YTP 65 seats, CKMP 54 seats)
  * 26 October – Cemal Gürsel was elected as the new president. Fahri Özdilek was appointed as the acting prime minister.
  * 20 November - Civilian government
  
  ## Births
  
  * 1 January – Edibe Sözen, politician
  * 31 January – Fatih Kısaparmak, singer and songwriter
  * 3 May – Leyla Zana, politician
  * 15 June – Gülten Kışanak, politician
  * 1 July – Birgül Ayman Güler, politician
  * 17 December – Ersun Yanal, football coach
  
  ## Deaths
  
  * 8 January – Yaşar Doğu (aged 48), wrestler
  * 26 February – Hasan Ali Yücel (aged 64), writer and former minister of National education
  * 16 June – Peyami Safa (aged 62), writer and journalist
  * 16 September – Hasan Polatkan (aged 46), former minister of Finance
  * 16 September – Fatin Rüştü Zorlu (aged 51), former minister of Foreign Affairs
  * 17 September – Adnan Menderes (aged 62), former prime minister (19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd government of Turkey)
  * 19 September – Şemsettin Günaltay (aged 78), former prime minister (1940s)
  
  ## Gallery
  
  * Cemal Gürsel
  * İsmet İnönü
  * Leyla Zana
  * Birgül Ayman Güler
  * Hasan Ali Yücel
  * Adnan Menderes
  * Şemsettin Günaltay
  