Besim Üstünel (1927 – June 2, 2015) was an academic in economics, politician and former Minister of Finance of Turkey.

Family life and early years

Besim Üstünel was born to Emin Üstünel and his wife Zekiye in

Gaziantep Gaziantep, historically Aintab and still informally called Antep, is a major city in south-central Turkey. It is the capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Medi ...

, Southeastern Turkey in 1927. He had four sisters Nermin, Saadet, Sema, Aysen and six brothers Ahmet, Cevat, Rasim Daşar, Mesut, Gündüz, Erol. After his primary and secondary education in his home city, Üstünel graduated from the School of Economics at

Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...

in 1946. After doctorate studies in the same university, he completed his post graduate studies in

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

. He was married to Gülen Üstünel, born Cin.

Career

Besim Üstünel pursued a teaching career, and taught in the

Faculty of Political Science, Ankara University The Faculty of Political Science of the University of Ankara (, more simply known as "''SBF''") is the oldest institution of administrative sciences in Turkey. It is the successor of the "Mekteb-i Mülkiye" ('), also known simply as "Mülkiye," wh ...

. During this period, he served as a visiting professor in the universities of

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

and

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

. Üstünel served also in the State planning Organization of Turkey. In 1965, he was appointed deputy secretary general of the

Republican People's Party The Republican People's Party (RPP; , CHP ) is a Kemalism, Kemalist and Social democracy, social democratic political party in Turkey. It is the oldest List of political parties in Turkey, political party in Turkey, founded by Mustafa Kemal ...

(CHP) upon request of the party leader

İsmet İnönü Mustafa İsmet İnönü (24 September 1884 – 25 December 1973) was a Turkish politician and military officer who served as the second List of Presidents of Turkey, president of Turkey from 1938 to 1950, and as its Prime Minister of Turkey, pr ...

. However, he did not enter the parliament for active politics. In the 1975 Turkish senate elections, he became a CHP senator serving until the

1980 Turkish coup d'état The 1980 Turkish coup d'état (), headed by Chief of the General Staff General Kenan Evren, was the third coup d'état in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the previous having been the 1960 coup and the 1971 coup by memorandum. During ...

. Between June 21 and July 21, 1977, he served as the

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

in the 40th government of Turkey (2nd

Bülent Ecevit Mustafa Bülent Ecevit (; 28 May 1925 – 5 November 2006) was a Turkish politician, statesman, poet, writer, scholar, and journalist. He served as the Prime Minister of Turkey four times between 1974 and 2002. He served as prime minister in 197 ...

government), which failed to receive the

vote of confidence A motion or vote of no confidence (or the inverse, a motion or vote of confidence) is a motion and corresponding vote thereon in a deliberative assembly (usually a legislative body) as to whether an officer (typically an executive) is deemed fit ...

. After the 1980 military coup, he returned to academic studies, and taught in the

Istanbul Technical University Istanbul Technical University, also known as Technical University of Istanbul (, commonly referred to as İTÜ), is an public university, public technical university located in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the world's third-oldest technical university ...

and later at

Marmara University Marmara University (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Marmara Üniversitesi'') is a Public university, public research university in Istanbul, Turkey. The university, named after the Sea of Marmara, was founded as a university in 1982. However, its ...

and

Galatasaray University Galatasaray University (, ) is a public university established in Istanbul, Turkey in 1992, following an agreement signed in the presence of President François Mitterrand of France and President Turgut Özal of Turkey during a ceremony at Gala ...

.Haber Gazetesi
/ref> In 1986 he served in

Seijo University is a private university in Seijō, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It is operated by the Seijo Gakuen institute. History Seijo University has its origins in , which was founded in 1917 by Masataro Sawayanagi, a former minister of education. U ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

as a visiting professor. He also served as the speaker of Turkish delegation in

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...

between 1980-1981.Gaziantep news

Death

Üstünel died in Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital on June 2, 2015. Following the religious ceremony at

Teşvikiye Mosque The Teşvikiye Mosque () is a neo-baroque structure located in the Teşvikiye neighbourhood of Şişli district in Istanbul, Turkey. History The mosque was originally commissioned in 1794 by Sultan Selim III, but most of the current mosque t ...

, he was interred in Ulus Cemetery on June 4, 2015.

Works

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ustunel, Besim 1927 births Politicians from Gaziantep Istanbul University alumni Alumni of the London School of Economics Turkish economists Academic staff of Ankara University Academic staff of Istanbul Technical University Academic staff of Marmara University Academic staff of Galatasaray University Republican People's Party (Turkey) politicians Members of the Senate of the Republic (Turkey) Ministers of finance of Turkey Council of Europe people 2015 deaths Members of the 40th government of Turkey