The Left of center politics in Turkish political life

The term ?Left of Center? was first used by Ismet Inonu, the leader of RPP,in 1965, to define the status of his party in Turkish political structure. Afterwards,this term was regarded as the begining of social democrat movement in Turkey. Atthis point, the center of left symbolizes an ideological transformation from thetraditional structure of RPP. By using the term ?left of center?, RPP was rebuildingitself while protecting its traditions and envisioning a continuous progress in thefuture.The process of transformation, started with the definition of the term the?left of center? in 1965, advanced when the left of center team set their sovereignityon the central administrative committee of RPP. At the same time, discusses brokeout within the party. Despite this, these discusses gave shape to the term left ofcenter. The first reflections of this term was seen in the declaration of the party inthe election of 1969. After this declaration, discusses in the party turned intostruggle to gain the power. When Bülent Ecevit came to power in 1972 the term leftof center changed its direction: Democratic Left.RPP made the needs of the people their primary subject with the term of?left of center?. The party came to the edge of power with its new social reformprogramme and showed its power in the elections of 1973 and 1977. But the failuresin administrative policies, poltical instability, terror events, economic crisesprevented both applying party?s social reform programme and settling of socialdemocratic culture throughout the country.(Key words: Left of Center, RPP, Social Democracy, Politics, Bülent Ecevit)