1981 in Turkey

Events in the year 1981 in Turkey.

Incumbents

 * President – Kenan Evren
 * Prime Minister – Bülent Ulusu

Ruling party and the main opposition

 * Ruling party – (Technocrat government)

Cabinet

 * 44th government of Turkey

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 (assassinated)
 * 18 March – Cahide Sonku (born in 1919), artist
 * 27 April – Münir Nurettin Selçuk, singer
 * 18 May – Fuat Sirmen (born in 1899), former speaker of the parliament
 * 26 December – Suat Hayri Ürgüplü (born in 1903), former prime minister (29th government of Turkey)