Abstract:

Studies about the Democratic Party, which had an important place in Turkish political life in the Republican era, were generally carried out by focusing on Adnan Menderes, while Celâl Bayar, who assumed the chairmanship of the party in the period between 1946-1950, remained in the background. However, Bayar, who played important roles in the political life he started before the Republic and was actively involved in politics during the period of the War of Independence, served as a minister and Prime Minister in the Republic period and became one of the symbolic names of the Kemalist revolution. Celâl Bayar, who was one of the leading implementers of the economic policies of the Republic era for a long time, especially in the establishment of İşbank in 1924 due to his economic background, served as a member of parliament during the years of World War II. continued after leaving his position as Prime Minister in 1939. Celâl Bayar has become the focus of interest of the masses who are not satisfied with the practices of the government as one of the founders of the Democratic Party, one of the leading formations of the democratic order in Turkey, re-established after the World War II. The 1946 parliamentary elections, which were the first elections in the history of the Republic in which opposition parties participated, were brought forward a year earlier to limit the influence of the opposition. After the decision to participate in the elections, Celâl Bayar, the leader of the Democrat Party, carried out propaganda activities in as many places as possible, especially in the Aegean Region, and conducted an active political struggle against the ruling Republican People’s Party.