Abdullah Gül

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Abdullah Gül (Template:IPAc-en; {{#invoke:IPA|main}}; born 29 October 1950) is a Turkish politician who served as the 11th president of Turkey from 2007 to 2014.<ref>Presidency of the Republic of Turkey : Abdullah GÜL Template:Webarchive</ref> He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002 to 2003, and concurrently served as both Deputy Prime Minister and as Foreign Minister between 2003 and 2007. He is currently a member of the Advisory Panel for the President of the Islamic Development Bank.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Advocating staunch Islamist political views during his university years, Gül became a Member of Parliament for Kayseri in 1991 and was re-elected in 1995, 1999, 2002, and 2007. Initially a member of the Islamist Welfare Party, Gül joined the Virtue Party in 1998 after the former was banned for anti-secular activities. When the party split into hardline Islamist and modernist factions in 2000, Gül joined fellow party member Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in advocating the need for reform and moderation. He ran against serving leader Recai Kutan for the Virtue Party leadership at a time when Erdoğan was banned from holding political office. As the candidate for the modernist camp, he came second with 521 votes while Kutan won 633. He co-founded the moderate Justice and Development Party (AKP) with Erdoğan in 2001 after the Virtue Party was shut down in the same year, while hardline conservative members founded the Felicity Party instead.

Gül became prime minister after the AKP won a landslide victory in the 2002 general election while Erdoğan was still banned from office. His government removed Erdoğan's political ban by March 2003, after which Erdoğan became an MP for Siirt in a by-election and took over as prime minister. Gül subsequently served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister until 2007. His subsequent bid for the Presidency drew strong and highly vocal opposition from ardent supporters of secularism in Turkey and was initially blocked by the Constitutional Court due to concerns over his Islamist political background.<ref>Ercan Yavuz (31 July 2008) "Evidence indicates Ergenekon tried to block presidential election" Template:Webarchive, todayszaman.com; retrieved 9 February 2009.</ref> He was eventually elected Turkey's first president with a background in Islamic politics after the 2007 snap general election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Turks elect ex-Islamist president Template:Webarchive, bbc.co.uk; retrieved 9 February 2009.</ref>

As president, Gül came under criticism for giving assent to controversial laws which have been regarded by the political opposition as unconstitutional.<ref>President Gül bids farewell to rule of law Template:Webarchive, todayszaman.com; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref><ref>Turkish main opposition takes judicial bill to constitutional court Template:Webarchive, hurriyetdailynews.com; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref> In June 2013, he signed a bill restricting alcohol consumption into law despite initially indicating a possible veto, which was seen as a contributing factor to sparking the Gezi Park protests.<ref>2013–14 anti-government protests in Turkey over restrictions on alcohol Template:Webarchive, eurasianet.org; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref> Other controversies included a law tightening internet regulation in 2013,<ref>Turkey passes law tightening internet regulation Template:Webarchive, reuters.com; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref> a law increasing political control over the judiciary in 2014 designed to protect then Prime Minister Erdoğan and others from corruption charges<ref>Gül signs judicial law increasing political control over the judiciary Template:Webarchive, hurriyetdailynews.com; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref> and a law giving the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) controversial new powers also in 2014.<ref>Gül signs law giving MİT new powers Template:Webarchive, todayszaman.com; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref> Gül took a mediating approach during the Gezi Park anti-government protests<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> and government corruption scandals.<ref>Rifts emerge between Erdoğan and Gül, voanews.com; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref>

Early life, education and early careerEdit

Gül was born in Kayseri, central Anatolia on 29 October 1949, the 26th anniversary of the establishment of the modern Turkish nation, also known as Republic Day in Turkey. His father is Ahmet Hamdi Gül (1926–2017), a retired air force mechanic whilst his mother is Adviye Satoğlu (born 1931).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

EducationEdit

Gül studied Economics at Istanbul University. During his graduate education, he spent two years (1976–1978) in London and studied at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. Returning to Turkey in 1978, he became an instructor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Sakarya University while working on his doctoral research on Turkey's economic relations with other Muslim countries.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He received his PhD from Istanbul University in 1983. Between 1983 and 1991, he worked at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He was conferred an honorary PhD degree from Amity University, Noida on 8 February 2009, and a LL.D from the University of Dhaka on 13 February 2010.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Entry into politicsEdit

Gül became acquainted with politics early during his high school years. During his university education, he became a member of the Islamist-nationalist Millî Türk Talebe Birliği (National Turkish Students' Union) in the line of Necip Fazıl's Büyük Doğu (Grand Orient) current.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He was elected a member of the Turkish parliament for the Refah Partisi (RP, "the Welfare Party") from the Kayseri electoral district in 1991 and 1995. During these years, he made statements about the political system of Turkey that was designed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the Turkish National Movement, which included "This is the end of the republican period" and "The secular system has failed and we definitely want to change it".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> These statements caused controversy when his candidacy for the 2007 presidential election was announced by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1999, he kept his seat as a member of the Fazilet Partisi (FP, "the Virtue Party") which was subsequently outlawed by the Constitutional Court for its violation of the Constitution. Its predecessor, the Refah Partisi, was also outlawed by the Constitutional Court for its violation of the Constitution, especially the principle of secularism. By this time, Gül had apparently moderated his views and was reportedly considered to be part of the Virtue Party's reformist faction. Since 1993 in Ankara, he had been organizing an informal think-tank involving a group of Refah politicians who were discontented with the leadership of Necmettin Erbakan: these included Melih Gökçek, Bülent Arınç, Abdüllatif Şener, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Beşir Atalay. In August 2001, this group founded the Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (Justice and Development Party), a party which billed itself as a moderate conservative party in the European tradition.<ref>MacLean, Abdullah Gul, pp. 176-201.</ref> He was elected once again to represent Kayseri in 2002.<ref>Abdullah Gül's historic profile Template:Webarchive, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (24 March 2014); retrieved 25 March 2014.</ref>

An interview he gave in 2002 summarizes his criticisms of the Refah Partisi under the leadership of Necmettin Erbakan and his portrayal of the AKP as a moderate party:

In the Welfare Party, there were groups demanding sharia rule. Welfare did not represent the local values we are now cultivating. The ideology of the party was partially shaped by alien imports. [He was referring to the impact of the Islamist ideology of the Iranian Revolution and Arab states on Welfare's ideology.] Our vision was at odds with the rest of the party. The despotic rule of Erbakan Hoca made it impossible for us to realize our vision under the rubric of the National View. We believe that modernization and being Muslim complement each other. We accept the modern values of liberalism, human rights, and market economy.<ref>Güneş Murat Tezcür, Muslim Reformers in Iran and Turkey: The Paradox of Moderation Template:Webarchive, Austin: University of Texas Press, 2010, p. 157.</ref>

Prime ministerEdit

File:Abdullah Gül.jpg

Abdullah Gül, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, 2004

After the Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the most votes in the November 2002 general election, Gül was appointed Prime Minister, as AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was still banned from participating in politics. After Gül's government secured legislation allowing Erdoğan's return to politics, the latter took over as prime minister on 14 March 2003. Gül was appointed deputy prime minister and foreign minister. Template:Citation needed<ref>MacLean, Abdullah Gul, pp. 236-7</ref>

Foreign ministerEdit

After becoming foreign minister in March 2003, Gül became the key player in Turkey's attempts to receive an accession date for the European Union and in its attempts to improve relations with Syria and maintaining its relationship with the Turkic-speaking countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Template:Citation needed On 8 January 2008, Gül flew to the United States to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.<ref>President Bush Meets with President Gul of Turkey Template:Webarchive, The White House Archives, 8 January 2008.</ref>

Presidency (2007–2014)Edit

File:Abdullah Gül (cropped version).jpg

11th President Abdullah Gül

Prime Minister Erdoğan announced on 24 April 2007 that Gül would be the Justice and Development Party candidate in the 2007 presidential election. Previously, there had been speculation that Erdoğan himself would be the party's candidate, which had provoked substantial opposition from secularists.<ref>"Turkey's ruling party announces FM Gül as presidential candidate" Template:Webarchive, Xinhua (People's Daily Online), 24 April 2007.</ref><ref name="Must">"Turkey 'must have secular leader'" Template:Webarchive, BBC News, 24 April 2007.</ref> When a boycott of opposition parties in Parliament deadlocked the election process, Gül formally withdrew his candidacy on 6 May 2007. If elected he would be the first president to have been involved with Islamist parties. But a few days later, on 11 May 2007 when he inquired after the alterations to the Turkish constitution which now allowed the people to elect the president directly rather than a parliamentary vote, Gül announced that he was still intending to run.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following the July 2007 parliamentary election, the AKP renominated Gül as its presidential candidate on 13 August; the election was again held as a vote of parliament.<ref>"Turkey's ruling party renominates Gül as presidential candidate" Template:Webarchive, Xinhua (People's Daily Online), 13 August 2007.</ref> On 14 August, Gül submitted his candidacy application to parliament and expressed his commitment to secularism at a news conference.<ref>"Turkey's Gül vows secular agenda" Template:Webarchive, BBC News, 14 August 2007.</ref>

On 28 August 2007, he was elected president in the third round of voting; in the first two rounds, a two-thirds majority of MPs had been required, but in the third round he needed only a simple majority. Gül was sworn in immediately thereafter.<ref>"Turkish foreign minister wins presidency, in victory for Islamic-rooted government" Template:Webarchive, Associated Press, International Herald Tribune, 28 August 2007.</ref> The process was a very low-key affair.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Dick Cheney and Abdullah Gül.jpg

Gül with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, March 2008

Gül's swearing-in was not attended by the Chief of the Turkish General Staff and was boycotted by the opposition Republican People's Party; then the hand-over of power at the presidential palace was held behind closed doors. Gül's wife was not present. The traditional evening reception hosted by the new president at the presidential palace for the country's highest authorities was announced for 11:30 in the morning and wives were not invited.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

His presidency was described as a "new era in Turkish politics", for being the first president of Turkey with a background in Islamic politics.<ref>Amberin Zaman (29 August 2007). "Turkey elects Islamist president Abdullah Gül" Template:Webarchive, Telegraph.co.uk; retrieved 10 February 2009.</ref>

File:Abdullah Gul in Armenia (2008-09-06) 01.jpg

Gül with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, September 2008

File:Chatham House Prize 2010 President Gül (6024767021).jpg

Abdullah Gül in 2010.

File:Chatham House Prize 2010 (5163375167).jpg

Gül awarded "Statesman of the Year" by Queen Elizabeth II, 2010.

Gül received messages of congratulation from the US, EU and German authorities while Turkey's prime minister Tayyip Erdoğan made a statement saying "a structure doomed to uncertainty has been overcome".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In September 2008 Gül became the first Turkish leader to visit Armenia where, in meetings with President Serzh Sarkisian, the two leaders formulated a solution to the tendentious problem of the genocide question, sparking a major debate in Turkey, but both the Armenian and Turkish parliaments refused to ratify the agreement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>MacLean, Abdullah Gul, pp. 272-174.</ref> In November 2011, President Gül led a state visit to the United Kingdom as a guest of Queen Elizabeth II.<ref>British Monarchy website {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The President met political and business leaders, visited the Olympic Park and was guest of honor at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

In November 2013, Gül called on Muslim countries to fight against what he called Islamophobia during his address at the 29th session of the COMCEC in Istanbul. He said:

Islamophobia remains a critical problem, which instigates unsubstantial prejudices against our region and Muslims. Terror plays a role in the persistence of such problems. We have to combat any form of deviation playing into the hands of people who equate terrorism with Islam, the religion of love, tolerance and conciliation.<ref>Template:Usurped, worldbulletin.net; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref>

After leaving the officeEdit

File:Abdullah Gül 2011-06-07.jpg

Abdullah Gül in 2011

After leaving the office former president kept political silence, focusing mainly upon social and cultural issues, as well as charity. He had not announced his political judgements or expressed political support to any Turkish party or politician. However, amid an outbreak of political crysis and massive protests, caused by incarceration of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu allegedly initiated by the president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Abdullah Gül expressed his support to the former, stating: "Let us remember how the public conscience did not accept the injustices that were once committed against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and me. Such mistakes should not be made against Ekrem Imamoglu, who was elected mayor by the people."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Statements on the Middle EastEdit

After the Israeli interdiction on the MV Mavi Marmara in 2010, when crewmebers attacked an Israeli naval boarding party, he advocated the complete ending of diplomatic relations with Israel, stating that "Israel will turn into a complete apartheid regime in the next 50 years if it does not allow for the establishment of an independent and proud Palestinian state with its capital in east Jerusalem. That is why we are exerting efforts to achieve a fair peace with a strategic point of view, which is to Israel's own interests."

On 31 December 2012, he stated with respect to the Arab spring and democratization of the Arab world: "But democracy is not only about elections. The task of creating essential democratic institutions – the rule of law, habits of accountability, gender equality, and freedom of expression and faith – still awaits these countries".<ref>"Europe and the Middle East in 2013" Template:Webarchive, project-syndicate.org; accessed 15 February 2015.</ref><ref>Profile Template:Webarchive, tccb.gov.tr; accessed 15 February 2015.Template:In lang</ref>

History of titlesEdit

1949–1983: Abdullah Gül
1983–1991: Dr. Abdullah Gül
1991–1996: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Gül, MP
1996–1997: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Gül, Minister of State of Turkey
2002: His Excellency Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister of Turkey
2002–2007: His Excellency Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Gül, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
2007–2014: His Excellency Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Honors and medalsEdit

National honorsEdit

Ribbon bar	Award or decoration	Country	Date	Place	Note	Ref.
	Medal of Honor of the Republic of Turkey	Template:Flagu	Template:Ntsh 28 August 2014	Ankara		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Foreign honorsEdit

Ribbon bar	Award or decoration	Country	Date	Place	Note	Ref.
File:Noribbon.svg	Pro Merito medal by European Council	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 2002	Brussels		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Spange des König-Abdulaziz-Ordens.png	Member 1st Class Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh9 November 2007	Ankara	The order was named after Abdulaziz Al Saud.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Order of the Bath (ribbon).svg	Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh13 May 2008	Ankara	British order of chivalry.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Medal10Astana.png	Medal "10 years of Astana"	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 4 July 2008	Astana		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Order of Independence (Qatar) - ribbon bar.gif	Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 17 August 2009	Istanbul		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Cross BAR.svg	Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 12 May 2009	Ankara	Portuguese National Order of Knighthood.	<ref>Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Template:Webarchive</ref>
File:ITA OMRI 2001 GC-GCord BAR.svg	Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 17 November 2009	Ankara	The highest ranking honor of the Italian Republic
File:Order of Mubarak the Great (Kuwait) - ribbon bar.gif	Collar of the Order of Mubarak the Great	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 21 December 2009	Kuwait City
File:Noribbon.svg	2010 Chatham House Prize	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 20 March 2010	London	Gul awarded "Statesman of the Year" by Queen Elizabeth II.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Order of Valour.svg	Grand Cordon of the Order of Valourf	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 16 March 2010	Yaoundé	Second highest order in Cameroon.
File:Ord.Nishan-i-Pakistan.ribbon.gif	Nishan-e-Pakistan	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 31 March 2010	Islamabad	Pakistan's highest civil order.	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
File:HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep 1class Collar BAR.svg	Grand Cross with Chain Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 15 November 2011	Ankara	The highest state order and second class of Hungary.
File:Order of the Netherlands Lion ribbon - Knight Grand Cross.svg	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 16 April 2012	Amsterdam	Netherlands' Lion, established in 1815.
File:Ord.GoldenEagle-ribbon.gif	Recipient of the Order of the Golden Eagle	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 11 October 2012	Ankara	The highest decoration of Kazakhstan.
File:Order of the Seraphim - Ribbon bar.svg	Knight of the Order of the Seraphim	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 11 March 2013	Stockholm	The highest order awarded by Swedish Royalty
File:GEO St-George Victory Order BAR.svg	Member of St. George's Order of Victory	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 19 April 2013	Ankara	Second highest state decoration awarded by President of Georgia.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Star of President Order (Turkmenistan) - ribbon bar.png	Recipient of the Star of President Order	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 29 May 2013	Ashgabat	The first order given to foreign president in Turkmenistan.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:St Olavs Orden storkors stripe.svg	Grand Cross with Collar of Order of St. Olav	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 5 November 2013	Ankara	The highest ranking honor of the Kingdom of Norway.
File:AZ Geyidar Aliyev Order rib.png	Recipient of the Heydar Aliyev Order	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 12 November 2013	Ankara	The highest national order of Azerbaijan.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau Ribbon bar.svg	Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 18 November 2013	Ankara	The highest national order in Luxembourg.	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	Magtymguly International Prize	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 3 June 2014	Ankara		<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
File:Ribbon bar of Order of the State of Northern Cyprus.png	Recipient of the Order of the State of Northern Cyprus	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 19 July 2014	Northern Nicosia	The highest national order in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
File:KRG Order Danaker.png	Recipient of the Danaker Order	Template:Flag	Template:Ntsh 8 September 2014	Istanbul	The highest national order in Kyrgyzstan.	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>