TÜRK SİYASAL YAŞAMINDA DÖNÜM NOKTASI: ÇOK PARTİLİ SİSTEME GEÇİŞ

Abstract

Shortly after the Second World War, Türkiye began to adopt a multi-party system. This article aims to analyze both the transition to multi-party politics in Türkiye and the historical process shaped by internal and external conditions. Although Türkiye did not join the war, it was affected economically as much as the belligerent nations. These economic problems weakened the political power of the single-party government, and growing dissatisfaction among the people led to a crisis of legitimacy. This crisis prompted the Republican People’s Party (RPP) to initiate democratic reforms while maintaining control. However, the primary catalyst for the transition to a multi-party system was foreign policy developments. A new world order had emerged, dominated by multi-party parliamentary systems instead of authoritarian regimes; thus, it would not have been a viable choice for Türkiye to maintain a one party regime by isolating itself from the international system. The transition to multi-party life between 1945 and 1950 represents a definitive turning point in Turkish history, offering a rare global example of such a shift. The developments during these five years enabled a peaceful transfer of power in the elections of May 14, 1950. The challenges of this transition were overcome through the prudent and conciliatory approach of both the government and the opposition. This study suggests that an objective analysis of this period provides a fresh perspective on the evaluation of the Turkish democratic system.