Political life in Van betwen the years of 1950-1960

In the study entitled "Political Life in Van between the Years of 1950-1960", actvities of the elected deputies in the aformentioned period, as well as political developments between the years of 1950-1960, the elections held in the period and their reflections on Turkey and Van, have been dwelled on. After the changeover period to multi-party system in Turkey in 1946, along with DP being founded as political figure, political life became lively in Van as did in all Turkey. However, DP could not participate in 1946 Turkish General Election because it was founded in Van a day before the election. Then, DP found an expansion field in Van as did throughout the country. Nonetheless, in Van, it could not pass vote rates of CHP to whose 27-year rulership it put an end in the 1950 election and it could win 1 deputy out of 3 deputies participating in the election. In accordance with the developments in the country, DP coming out of 1954 elections more powerfully gained strength politically in the city by taking all of 4 deputies. In the later period, political developments taking place throughout the country and fluctuations in vote rates of DP country-wide reflected naturally on the elections in Van, which is one of the big cities of Eastern Anatolia, in the 1957 elections. Then, in the 1957 elections, voters in Van stopped political support which they had given to DP up to that day and DP lost all of 5 deputyships to CHP in the elections. Key Words: Van, the 1950 Elections, the 1954 Elections, 1957 Elections, CHP, DP. Page Number: 1 Thesis Supervisor: GüneĢ ġAHĠN