Turkish Center-Right Party Swaps Leader

An Islamic-rooted party swept the polls and formed Turkey’s first majority government in 15 years.

The U.S.-educated Ciller took over as head of the party in 1993 after Suleyman Demirel, the party’s founder, resigned to become Turkey’s president.

Ciller was last prime minister in 1996. She later served as deputy premier in a coalition formed by a pro-Islamic party. That government was pressured out of power by Turkey’s military, which is intent on keeping the nation secular.