Sıtkı Yırcalı (1908–1988) was a Turkish jurist and politician who served in various cabinet posts during the period between 1950 and 1958. He was a member of the Democrat Party (DP) and then of the Justice Party (AP).

Early life and education

Yırcalı was born in

Balıkesir Balıkesir () is a city in the Marmara Region, Marmara region of Turkey. It is the seat of Balıkesir Province, which is also a Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality. As of 2022, the population of Balıkesir Province ...

on 13 September 1908. He hailed from a well-known family, and his father, Yırcalızade Şükrü, was a member of the

Committee of Union and Progress The Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress (CUP, also translated as the Society of Union and Progress; , French language, French: ''Union et Progrès'') was a revolutionary group, secret society, and political party, active between 1889 and 1926 ...

being active in its local branch. Sıtkı graduated from

Kabataş Erkek Lisesi Kabataş may refer to: * Kabataş, Beyoğlu, a quarter in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey ** Kabataş (Istanbul Metro), a funicular railway station * Kabataş, Çine, a village in Aydın Province, Turkey * Kabataş, Kemaliye, a village in Erz ...

in 1928. He received a bachelor's degree in law from

Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...

and a PhD in law from the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

Career and activities

Following his graduation Yırcalı worked as a lawyer in his hometown. He joined the DP in 1946 and became its head in Balıkesir. He was elected to the Parliament in 1950 and served there for three terms. In the cabinets led by

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Adnan Menderes Ali Adnan Ertekin Menderes (; 1899 – 17 September 1961) was a Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister of Turkey between 1950 and 1960. He was one of the founders of the Democrat Party (DP) in 1946, the fourth legal opposition party of ...

Yırcalı held the following ministerial posts: minister of customs and monopolies (1951–1952), minister of industry (1952–1954; 1958), minister of economy and commerce (1954–1955) and minister of press and tourism (1957–1958). He resigned from office while serving as minister of economy and commerce in 1955. His tenure as minister of industry ended in 1958 when he resigned from the post. Yırcalı,

Fatin Rüştü Zorlu Fatin Rüştü Zorlu (20 April 1910 – 16 September 1961) was a Turkish diplomat and politician. He was executed by hanging after the coup d'état in 1960 along with two other politicians. Early life and education He was born on 20 April ...

and Hasan Polatkan were investigated by a Parliamentary commission in January 1956 due to the allegations of their involvelment in importing East German trucks and tires of no value and a general neglect of their duty. From 1957 to 1960 Yırcalı was among the DP members who opposed the hegemony of the founders of the party, including Adnan Menderes. The group included 150 DP members and headed by him. Yırcalı was arrested after the

military coup A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

ending the rule of DP on 27 May 1960 and jailed in

Yassıada Yassıada ( Turkish: Flat Island), officially renamed Democracy and Freedom Island ( Turkish: Demokrasi ve Özgürlükler Adası) in 2013, is one of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, to the southeast of Istanbul. In Byzantine times, ...

for a while. He was not charged with a crime possibly due to his overt criticisms over the policies of the DP. He continued to work as a lawyer and was elected, as a senator for the AP in 1975.

Personal life and death

Yırcalı was married and had a son and a daughter. His younger brother, Sırrı, was also a lawyer and a politician from the DP who was a member of the Parliament between 1954 and 1960. Sıtkı Yırcalı died in Ankara on 29 September 1988 and was buried in Cebeci cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yırcalı, Sıtkı 20th-century Turkish lawyers 1908 births 1988 deaths Burials at Cebeci Asri Cemetery Democrat Party (Turkey, 1946–1960) politicians Deputies of Balıkesir Industry ministers of Turkey Istanbul University Faculty of Law alumni Justice Party (Turkey) politicians Ministers of economic affairs of Turkey Members of the 20th government of Turkey Members of the 21st government of Turkey Members of the 23rd government of Turkey Members of the 9th Parliament of Turkey Members of the 10th Parliament of Turkey Members of the 11th Parliament of Turkey Members of the Senate of the Republic (Turkey) Ministers of tourism of Turkey People from Balıkesir Turkish prisoners and detainees University of Paris alumni Kabataş Erkek Lisesi alumni Politicians from Balikesir