1981 in Turkey

Incumbents

• President – Kenan Evren
• Prime Minister – Bülent Ulusu

Ruling party and the main opposition

• Ruling party –

Cabinet

• 44th government of Turkey

Events

January

• 17 January – Cargo ship Deniz Sönmez sinks near Crete, resulting in 32 fatalities.

March

• 4 March – Two Turkish diplomats assassinated by Armenian terrorists.

May

• 13 May – Assassination attempt on John Paul II by Mehmet Ali Ağca
• 24 May – Trabzonspor won the championship of the Turkish football league

July

• 27 July – Turkey elects state artists for the first time.

October

• 16 October – NSC dissolves all political parties.
• 23 October – Consultative Assembly inaugurated.

November

• 3 November – 3 November – Former prime minister Bülent Ecevit receives prison sentence for making political statements.
• 30 November – Ministry of Culture merges with the Ministry of Tourism.

Births

• 10 January – Mert Fırat, actor
• 17 February – Songül Öden
• 34 March – Aysun Kayacı, model
• 27 October – Volkan Demirel, footballer
• 20 November – İbrahim Toraman, footballer

Deaths

• 4 March – Reşat Moralı and Tecelli Arı
• 18 March – Cahide Sonku, artist
• 27 April – Münir Nurettin Selçuk, singer
• 18 May – Fuat Sirmen, former speaker of the parliament
• 26 December – Suat Hayri Ürgüplü, former prime minister