Demirel and Feb. 28

Demirel knew details of the incidents. What he said is of historic importance. Demirel had also resigned during the March 12 intervention that put an end to his government. Here is a question: Why did he give the mandate to establish a government to Mesut Yılmaz instead of Tansu Çiller when former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan resigned from office? “The military was unhappy with the Welfare Party [RP] government. Therefore, if the same government continued in office with Çiller at its helm, this would not eliminate the tension,” Demirel thought, some people claim. This is why he commissioned Yılmaz with forming a government. There are such claims. But none of them could be substantiated, and they are effectively rumors. If we evaluate Demirel’s positive and negative involvement in the process, we cannot blame or acquit Demirel completely. If Demirel had given Çiller the government formation mandate, what political development would we have seen? Would there have been a coup? No one can know.