Mesut Yılmaz, three times Turkey’s prime minister, dies at 73
Mesut Yılmaz, who served three times as Turkey's prime minister, died early on Oct. 30 at a hospital in Istanbul. Yılmaz, 73, was getting treatment for brain stem tumor. Yılmaz will be be laid to rest following a funeral ceremony at Istanbul's Marmara İlahiyat Mosque on Nov. 1.
Duvar English
Former Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz died early on Oct. 30 at a hospital in Istanbul. He was 73 years old and was getting treatment for brain stem tumor.
Yılmaz was initially hospitalized due to a lung tumor last year. Following a surgery on Jan. 3, 2019, the tumor cells were removed. In May of 2020, tumor cells were this time located in the brain stem, which led Yılmaz to have another surgery.
Yılmaz, of the center-right Motherland Party (ANAP), served as prime minister three times between 1991 and 1999, for a period of two years in total. He was one of the founding members of ANAP, which was established in 1983.
Yılmaz served as a deputy prime minister in a coalition led by former Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit from 1999 to 2002. After his failure to win entry into parliament in 2002 elections, Yılmaz retired from politics to pursue a career in academics.
Yilmaz, a former chairman of Anavatan (Motherland) Party, appointed as prime minister three times between 1991 and 1999, serving as premier for a period of two years in total.
Born on Nov. 6, 1947, the former prime minister was married with two children, one of whom died in 2017.
Several politicians have expressed their condolences to the Yılmaz family. “He was going through a long-term illness. I had a telephone conversation with his wife Berna Yılmaz this morning. May God forgive his sins,” President Recep Erdoğan told reporters on Oct. 29.
Presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın wrote on Twitter: “I have found out about the death of former Prime Minister and ANAP leader Mesut Yılmaz's death with great sadness. I wish God's mercy on him, condolences and patience to his family and relatives.”
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu similarly expressed his sadness over Yılmaz's death, writing on Twitter: “I wish God's mercy on him, condolences and patience to his family and relatives.”
Yılmazwill be be laid to rest following a funeral ceremony at Istanbul'sMarmara İlahiyat Mosque on Nov. 1.
The Turkish Football Federation has announced that footballers will observe a moment of silence prior to this week's games that will be played in all the three leagues.