# 54th government of Turkey

The 54th government of Turkey governed Turkey from 28 June 1996 to 30 June 1997. It was a coalition government formed by Welfare Party (RP) and True Path Party (DYP), and was known as Refahyol (a portmanteau of the Turkish names of the two parties in the coalition).

## Background

After the fall of the 53rd government of Turkey, in which True Path Party (DYP) was one of the participants, Welfare Party (RP) and True Path Party (DYP) formed a coalition government.
Initially, Necmettin Erbakan of Welfare Party was the prime minister and Tansu Çiller of True Path Party was the deputy prime minister. After two years, they were to rotate in the position. However, the DYP was the third-largest in the parliament, and when Erbakan stepped down to begin the rotation, President Süleyman Demirel asked Mesut Yılmaz, leader of the Motherland Party which was the second-largest, to form the new government instead.

## Government

In the list below, the serving period of cabinet members who served only a part of the cabinet's lifespan are shown in the column "Notes".
| Title | Name | Party | Notes |
| Prime Minister | Necmettin Erbakan | RP | |
| Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Tansu Çiller | DYP | |
| Minister of State |
| Minister of State | Fehim Adak | RP | |
| Minister of State | Nevzat Ercan | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Abdullah Gül | RP | |
| Minister of State | Işılay Saygın | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Sabri Tekir | RP | |
| Minister of State | Nafiz Kurt | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Mehmet Altınsoy | RP | |
| Minister of State | Namık Kemal Zeybek | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Lütfi Esengün | RP | |
| Minister of State | Selim Ensarioğlu | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Cemil Tunç | RP | |
| Minister of State | Bekir Aksoy | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Gürcan Dağdaş | RP | |
| Minister of State | Ufuk Söylemez | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Teoman Rıza Güneri | RP | |
| Minister of State | Ayfer Yılmaz | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Sacit Günbey | RP | |
| Minister of State | Bahattin Şaker | DYP | |
| Minister of State | Ahmet Demircan | RP | |
| Ministry of Justice | Şevket Kazan | RP | |
| Ministry of National Defense | Turhan Tayan | DYP | |
| Ministry of the Interior | Mehmet Ağar Meral Akşener | DYP | 28 June 1996 – 8 November 1996 8 November 1996 – 30 June 1997 |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Emre Gönensay | DYP | |
| Ministry of Finance | Abdüllatif Şener | RP | |
| Ministry of National Education | Mehmet Sağlam | DYP | |
| Ministry of Public Works and Settlement | Cevat Ayhan | RP | |
| Ministry of Health and Social Security | Yıldırım Aktuna İsmail Karakuyu | DYP | 28 June 1996 – 26 April 1997 13 May 1997 – 30 June 1997 |
| Ministry of Transport | Ömer Barutçu | DYP | |
| Ministry of Labour and Social Security | Necati Çelik | RP | |
| Ministry of Industry and Commerce | Yalım Erez Ali Rıza Gönül | DYP | 28 June 1996 – 26 April 1997 13 May 1997 – 30 June 1997 |
| Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources | Recai Kutan | RP | |
| Ministry of Culture | İsmail Kahraman | RP | |
| Ministry of Tourism | Bahattin Yücel | DYP | 28 June 1996 – 13 June 1997 |
| Ministry of Agriculture and Village Affairs | Musa Demirci | RP | |
| Ministry of Forestry | Halit Dağlı | DYP | |
| Ministry of Environment | Ziyaettin Tokar | RP | |

## Aftermath

Necmettin Erbakan resigned as prime minister, hoping his coalition partner Tansu Çiller would be the next prime minister and a similar government would be formed. However, president Süleyman Demirel appointed Mesut Yılmaz of Motherland Party as the new prime minister (see Prime ministership of Necmettin Erbakan).