November 6, 1983 1987 → 20 May 1983 21 May 1983 New party New party Date 6 November 1983 | Turnout 76.6% 21 May 1983 16 May 1983 New party New party Location Turkey | |
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Winner Turgut Özal Other Instances Turkish general election, Turkish general election, Turkish general election, Turkish general election, Turkish general election |
General elections were held in Turkey on 6 November 1983, the first since 1977 because the democratic rights were abandoned after the military coup of 1980. The National Security Council banned the previous political parties from participating, leading to the establishment of new parties. Turgut Özal's Motherland Party (ANAP) won a significant victory in this elections by gaining 45.14% of the votes. This victory was the starting point of a rapid change in the structure of the state and society in Turkey. Voter turnout was 76.6%.
The People's Party (HP) was the continuation of the former CHP and was the only left-wing participant in the election. The Nationalist Democracy Party was founded by the military junta of the time, whilst the Motherland Party was seen as the successor of the Justice Party (AP) by some circles but Süleyman Demirel, the leader of AP, would later form the DYP to challenge the power of Turgut Özal's Motherland Party.
Results
18,238,362 votes were cast in all, of which 886,852 (4.86%) were blank or spoiled. Owing to a registration error in the town of Bingöl, ANAP were unable to take one of the seats they had won there, lowering the total number of MPs in the chamber to 399.