Democrat Party (Turkey, 1946–1961)

The new Democratic-controlled Parliament offered a new, broadened political elite. There was a shift from members with military and bureaucratic backgrounds to those with commercial backgrounds and increased representation from small provinces (opposed to mainly Istanbul or Ankara).[11] Despite attacks on İnönü and the CHP's efforts to orient Turkey with the West, the Democrats under Menderes continued this trend. After several busts of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk were vandalized, the DP Government introduced Law No.5816 on the 31 July 1951, which prohibited the defamation of Atatürk.[12] In 1952, Turkey joined NATO and strengthened its ties with the West, an effort to protect against potential Soviet expansionism. Menderes and the Democrat Party became increasingly more involved in issues of national security, and it is often thought that they highlighted these efforts to draw attention away from the poor economic health of the nation, a tactic that would not remain successful for long.[13] The economy grew with Marshall Plan aid and from privatizing state industry that had 27 years of protected growth under the CHP's statist economic policy.

The 1954 elections were again overwhelmingly won by the Democrat Party and Menderes remained Prime Minister. However, by 1955 widespread support for the DP began to deteriorate due to the nation's worsening economic situation, partly due to Marshall Plan aid running out. To distract citizens from the economy, xenophobia was employed against the remaining Greeks of Turkey in the Istanbul Pogrom. The economic policies pursued under the DP rule had led to high inflation rates, shortages of critical goods, and poor economic development. Additionally, the DP government began showing a deep authoritarian streak. In the years ahead, the DP increasingly suppressed opposition within their own party and with that of rival parties and stifled the press.[14]

In the 1957 elections the DP blocked opposition parties from forming electoral alliances. While the opposition parties won the popular vote, this was not represented in parliament due to the winner-takes-all electoral system used at the time. The DP continued their authoritarian policies until 1960 saw the country's political situation rapidly deteriorate.

On May 27, 1960, the DP government was overthrown by military group called the National Unity Committee, led by General Cemal Gürsel. The military feared that the founding principles of the Turkish Republic were being eroded, and there was growing public dissatisfaction with Menderes' perceived intolerance of criticism. The military junta stayed in power for the next eighteen months, trying several top DP leaders for unconstitutional rule and high treason. Three of them, including Menderes, were executed. Five others, including Bayar, were sentenced to life imprisonment. The party was officially suppressed on September 29, 1961.

Though the military executed Menderes, the military was overall sympathetic with the DP's policies, as was much of the country, particularly the peasants. In the 1961 elections, neo-DP parties captured 48% of the vote, among them being the New Turkey Party (Yeni Türkiye Partisi) and the Justice Party (Adalet Partisi) founded by Ragıp Gümüşpala. Süleyman Demirel became leader of the right-wing AP in 1964. With his position as leader of the preeminent DP-successor party, Demirel became one of Turkey's major political figures, and AP one of Turkey's major political parties. It was banned after the 1980 coup.

In 1970, the Justice Party's conservative wing broke away and launched the Democratic Party, which included many former DP leaders. It received 11.9% of the vote in the 1973 elections. By 1980, the party dissolved itself.

With the 1980 coup, all political parties were banned, including the use of their names and logos, while party leaders were imprisoned. The True Path Party (Doğru Yol Partisi) was founded in 1983 as a successor party of the Justice Party. In 1987, a passed referendum allowed pre-1980 politicians to participate in political life again, allowing Demirel to become leader of his political movement again. DYP and its rival Motherland Party (ANAP) will be Turkey's preeminent center-right political parties.

In 1993, Demirel stepped down as leader of DYP when he was elected Turkey's 9th president, picking Tansu Çiller to become leader of the party to succeed him as well as his premiership. In the 2002 elections, the party was not able to surpass the 10% threshold and received no seats in the National Assembly. In a 2007 party convention, it renamed itself to the modern Democrat Party.

In November 1992, at what was declared to be the party's 5th Grand Conference, several former members relaunched the Democrat Party under the same name and emblem. It was at first led by Hayrettin Erkmen, but the most prominent leader was Aydın Menderes, son of Adnan, who was elected the party's third leader in February 1994. He led until a crippling road accident in 1996.

The relaunched Democratic Party never entertained mainstream politics, and did not participate in Turkey's elections of 2002. Other recent leaders have included Yalçın Koçak.

In the 2007 DYP congress, DYP and ANAP announced a merger and for the occasion renamed itself to the Democrat Party. While the merger failed in the lead up to the 2007 election, DP and ANAP were eventually able to merge in 2009. In the 2018 elections it participated in the Nation Alliance with the CHP, İyi Parti and Saadet Partisi. It received one seat in the elected from İyi Parti's lists. In the 2023 parliamentary election it received three seats from CHP's lists.