Executive branch:
chief of state: President Suleyman DEMIREL (since 16 May 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Bulent ECEVIT (since 11 January
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the prime minister
note: there is also a National Security Council that serves as an
advisory body to the president and the cabinet
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
seven-year term; election last held 16 May 1993 (next scheduled to
be held NA May 2000); prime minister and deputy prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: Suleyman DEMIREL elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote—54%
Legislative branch: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held 18 April 1999) election results: percent of vote by party—RP 21.38%, DYP 19.18%, ANAP 19.65%, DSP 14.64%, CHP 10.71%, independent 0.48%; seats by party—RP 158, DYP 135, ANAP 133, DSP 75, CHP 49; note—seats held by various parties are subject to change due to defections, creation of new parties, and ouster or death of sitting deputies; seating by party as of 1 January 1999: FP 144, ANAP 137, DYP 97, DSP 61, CHP 55, DTP 12, BBP 8, MHP 3, DP 1, DEPAR 1, independents 20, vacant 11
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges appointed by the president; Court of Appeals, judges are elected by the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors
Political parties and leaders: Motherland Party or ANAP [Mesut
outlawed on 22 February 1998
Political pressure groups and leaders: Turkish Confederation of
Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association or MUSIAD
International organization participation: AsDB, BIS, BSEC, CCC,
CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NATO,
NEA, OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UPU, WEU (associate), WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Baki ILKIN chancery: 1714 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mark R. PARRIS embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana
Flag description: red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening
Economy