Abdullah Gül
A Turkish statesman who navigated his nation's deep secular-religious divide, becoming its first president with a background in political Islam.
Born 1950 (age 76)·President of Turkey from 2007 to 2014·Birthday: October 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Abdullah Gül's political journey mirrors modern Turkey's own turbulent search for identity. An economist by training, he entered politics as a member of the Welfare Party, a vehicle for Islamic democracy that alarmed the country's staunchly secular military establishment. His political survival and rise were a testament to both pragmatism and principle. As a founding member of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Gül helped craft a platform that balanced conservative values with a commitment to democratic norms and European integration. His tenure as foreign minister was a period of ambitious outreach, seeking to position Turkey as a crucial bridge between East and West. In 2007, after a protracted political crisis where the military implicitly threatened intervention, parliament elected him president. His wife's headscarf, a symbol of pious Muslim identity, entering the secular presidential palace was a moment of profound cultural shift. As president, Gül often played a moderating, conciliatory role, at times subtly distancing himself from the more divisive policies of his party and ally, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Abdullah was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Abdullah Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Abdullah's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 11th President of Turkey from 2007 to 2014, the first with a background in political Islam.
- Was a founding member and key figure in the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has dominated Turkish politics since 2002.
- Served as Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2007, pursuing a policy of 'zero problems with neighbors.'
- Acted as Prime Minister of Turkey for a brief period in 2002-2003 before assuming the presidency.
Did You Know?
His election as president marked the first time a Turkish first lady who wore a headscarf resided in the presidential palace.
Gül's academic background is in economics; he earned a PhD from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.
He survived a military-led campaign in 1997 that forced his then-party, the Welfare Party, from power.
Following his presidency, he has largely remained out of active politics, focusing on lectures and advisory roles.
“"Democracy is not just about elections; it is about the rule of law, human rights, and freedoms."”
