Refik Koraltan

Refik Koraltan
8th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
In office May 22, 1950 – May 27, 1960
Preceded by	Şükrü Saracoğlu
Succeeded by	Kazım Orbay
Constituency	Konya Province
Personal details
Born	1889 Divriği, Sivas Province
Died	June 17, 1974 Istanbul
Nationality	Turkish
Political party	Turkish Democratic Party

Refik Koraltan (1889, Divriği, Sivas Province – June 17, 1974, Istanbul) was a Turkish politician, having served as the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) from May 22, 1950 to May 27, 1960.

Biography

Koraltan was born in Divriği, Sivas Province in 1889, the son of Ali Bey, a local leading citizen. After completing the primary and middle education in Divriği, Koraltan studied at Istanbul Mercan High School. He was graduated from Istanbul Faculty of Law.

Political career

Koraltan entered public service as an assistant prosecutor and became the Attorney General of Karaman in 1915. He was assigned as police inspector on March 2, 1918 and charged as Chief of Police of Trabzon on May 29, 1918. During this duty, he facilitated the establishment of the "Society of Defence of the National Rights to counteract the Pontus Rum Organizations" that started to appear after the end of World War I.

He was elected the TBMM as the Deputy of Konya in 1920 and reelected from the same city for three more terms.

He served as Governor of Bursa Province from 1939 to 1942.

He served briefly as governor of Konya Province before returning to the parliament six more terms. In 1946, he quit from the RPP and formed the Democratic Party together with Celal Bayar, Adnan Menderes and Mehmet Fuat Köprülü. Finally, he served as Speaker of the TBMM from May 22, 1950 until May 27, 1960, the military coup.

Koraltan died on June 17, 1974 in Istanbul, and is buried in Ankara.

Personal

Koraltan was married with four children.

Although he was known as Refik Koraltan, the name on his birth record was Bekir Refik.

Sources

• Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritages and Museums

Political offices
Preceded by Şükrü Saracoğlu	Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey May 22, 1950–May 27, 1960	Succeeded by Kazim Orbay