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On March 12, 1971, Prime Minister of
Republic of Turkey, Suleyman Demirel was given a memorandum by the soldiers.
This memorandum was soldiers’ second direct intervention to the civilian and
selected political power in the history of the Republic of Turkey. As a result
of this military intervention, ruling Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel and his
Justice Party Government (AP) fell from power. Impact of the military
intervention on Turkish politics was about three and a half years. In this
process, ?smet ?nonu, the 34-year-old Chairman of the Republican People’s Party
(CHP) and second president of the Republic of Turkey, lost his place in the
party. Former general secretary, Bulent Ecevit, became the new Chairman of the
CHP. The memorandum also affected the presidential elections held in year of
1973. The soldiers and civilian politicians have faced about presidential
candidate. The candidate, who by Suleyman Demirel and Bulent Ecevit, elected as
president. The general elections were held in October, 1973. Republican
People's Party (CHP), led by Bulent Ecevit, has won the elections. But he had
to set up a coalition government. Ecevit did not want to set up a coalition
government with Suleyman Demirel. Ecevit has formed a coalition government with
Necmettin Erbakan-led National Salvation Party (MSP). As the result of
formation of this civilian coalition government, the interim regime has ended.