Turgut Özal

Turgut Özal

Name	Turgut Özal
Birth name
Birth date	(1937-10-13)13 October 1937
Birth place	Malatya, Turkey
Death date	17 April 1993(1993-04-17) (aged 55)
Death place	Ankara, Turkey
Alma mater
Occupation	Politician, Engineer
Years active
Organization
Known for
Notable works
Spouse(s)
Website

Turgut Özal (13 October 1937 – 17 April 1993) was a prominent Turkish politician, engineer, and economist who served as the 8th President of Turkey from 1989 until his death in 1993. Prior to his presidency, he was the 26th Prime Minister of Turkey from 1983 to 1989. Özal is credited with implementing significant economic reforms that transformed Turkey's economy and increased its integration with the global market.

Early Life and Education

Turgut Özal was born in Malatya, Turkey, in 1937. He completed his primary and secondary education in various cities across Turkey due to his father's job as a civil servant. Özal graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a degree in electrical engineering in 1950. He later pursued further studies in the United States, where he attended the University of California, Berkeley and specialized in economic development.

Career

Early Career

After returning to Turkey, Özal worked in various governmental and private sector roles. He was involved in the State Planning Organization, where he contributed to the development of Turkey's economic policies. His expertise in economics and engineering led him to hold several key positions, including the Undersecretary of the State Planning Organization.

Political Career

Özal's political career began in earnest when he joined the Motherland Party (ANAP), which he founded in 1983. The party won the general elections that year, and Özal became the Prime Minister of Turkey. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by liberal economic reforms, including the reduction of state intervention in the economy, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and encouragement of foreign investment.

Presidency

In 1989, Özal was elected as the President of Turkey. His presidency was characterized by efforts to further liberalize the economy and improve Turkey's relations with Western countries. Özal was a proponent of Turkey's membership in the European Union and worked towards aligning Turkey's policies with European standards.

Economic Reforms

Özal's economic policies, often referred to as the "Özal Reforms," were instrumental in transforming Turkey's economy from a state-controlled system to a more market-oriented one. These reforms included:

• Deregulation of the financial sector
• Liberalization of trade policies
• Encouragement of foreign direct investment
• Privatization of state-owned enterprises

These measures led to significant economic growth and increased Turkey's integration into the global economy.

Death and Legacy

Turgut Özal died unexpectedly on 17 April 1993, while still in office. His death was officially attributed to a heart attack, but there have been persistent rumors and investigations suggesting foul play. Özal's legacy is a mixed one; he is credited with modernizing Turkey's economy and fostering a more open society, but his tenure also faced criticism for increasing income inequality and environmental degradation.

Also see

• Motherland Party (Turkey)
• Presidents of Turkey
• Economy of Turkey
• European Union–Turkey relations