MAY 27 MILITARY ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO MOVE TO CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATION: ROUNDTABLE RESOLUTIONS

Abstract

The military administration which began with the 27 May military intervention established a new legal order. The soldiers wanted to keep this legal order and move to civilian rule. In the process, the soldiers feared that the Justice Party, the political heir to the ruling Democratic party, would seek to break down the legal order established by May 27. The soldiers considered shutting down the AP. In politics, however, there were other political parties besides the AP that had the political understanding of the DP. It was not possible to close all of these parties. A series of meetings were held between soldiers and representatives of political parties so that the country could transition to civilian rule through free elections. As a result of these meetings, the political parties agreed to all the demands of the soldiers. The agreement between the soldiers and the political parties was put on paper with the Round Table resolutions signed in Çankaya on September 5, 1961. A similar agreement was signed with press representatives. Thus, when the soldiers went to civilian rule, they agreed with politicians and members of the Press on maintaining the political order established by the May 27 military intervention. The roundtable resolutions facilitated the country's transition to civilian rule.