Suleyman Soylu

Soylu was appointed Minister of Interior on August 31, 2016, replacing Efkan Ala. He took office during the post-coup attempt purge, overseeing a massive crackdown on alleged Gulenist sympathizers within the police and civil service.

Soylu oversaw the dismissal of over 100,000 civil servants, including police, teachers, and judges, under emergency rule following the 2016 coup attempt. The purge targeted alleged Gulenists, drawing domestic and international criticism for its scale and lack of due process.

Soylu actively campaigned for the 'Yes' vote in the 2017 constitutional referendum. He made controversial statements, including accusing opposition parties of supporting terrorism, which heightened political polarization in Turkey.

After the AKP lost the Istanbul mayoral election in March 2019, Soylu offered his resignation, citing responsibility for the security failures that led to the loss. President Erdogan rejected the resignation, and Soylu remained in office.