Yıldırım Akbulut

Yıldırım Akbulut (Turkish pronunciation: [jɯɫdɯˈɾɯm akbuˈɫut]; born 15 November 1935, in Erzincan) is a Turkish politician, who was a leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), a former Prime Minister of Turkey and twice the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

Yıldırım Akbulut
20th Prime Minister of Turkey
In office 9 November 1989 – 23 June 1991
President	Turgut Özal
Deputy	Ali Bozer (1989-90)
Preceded by	Turgut Özal
Succeeded by	Mesut Yılmaz
15th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly
In office 20 May 1999 – 30 September 2000
President	Süleyman Demirel, Ahmet Necdet Sezer
Preceded by	Hikmet Çetin
Succeeded by	Ömer İzgi
In office 24 December 1987 – 9 November 1989
President	Kenan Evren
Preceded by	Necmettin Karaduman
Succeeded by	İsmet Kaya Erdem
Leader of the Motherland Party
In office 16 November 1989 – 15 June 1991
Preceded by	Turgut Özal
Succeeded by	Mesut Yılmaz
Interior Minister of Turkey
In office 26 October 1984 – 26 September 1987
Prime Minister	Turgut Özal
Preceded by	Ali Tanrıyar
Succeeded by	Ahmet Selçuk
Personal details
Born	(1935-11-15) 15 November 1935 Erzincan, Turkey
Political party	ANAP
Spouse(s)	Saime Akbulut
Education	Law
Alma mater	Istanbul University
Profession	Politician

A lawyer by profession, Akbulut was one of the founding members of the Motherland Party in 1983. Entering Parliament in the 1983 general election, he became the Minister of the Interior under Prime Minister and ANAP leader Turgut Özal in 1984. Serving until 1987, Akbulut was then fielded as his party's candidate for Parliamentary speaker, which he won and subsequently served until 1989.

In 1989, Özal contested the presidential election and was elected the 8th President of Turkey. Özal chose Akbulut as his successor as Prime Minister, leading him to be elected ANAP leader and taking office as the 20th Prime Minister of Turkey. He was widely regarded as a 'puppet' of President Özal, who was accused despite his ceremonial and impartial position of calling the shots for the government. He was defeated in the 1991 ANAP leadership primaries by Mesut Yılmaz and subsequently left office. In 1999, he was elected for a second time as Speaker of Parliament.

To this date in Turkish politics, 'Yıldırım Akbulut' has become synonymous with 'political puppet', denoting a politician stationed in high office but actually only serving on behalf capacity for another, more powerful superior. When serving Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected President in 2014, the media ran speculation about who would be Erdoğan's 'Yıldırım Akbulut' (replacement prime minister on Erdoğan's behalf).