Turkey’s former parliament speaker dies at age 88

ANKARA

Ismet Sezgin, former parliament speaker of Turkey, died at the age of 88, hospital sources said on Wednesday.

Sezgin died of multiple organ failure at the Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) in Ankara where he had been staying for nearly a month.

The politician was born in 1928 in Turkey’s Aegean province of Aydin. He began his political career in 1952 by joining Democrat Party. In 1955, he was elected as Aydin mayor. He was arrested during May 27 military coup in 1960.

Sezgin, who served as parliament speaker, also took the seats as deputy prime minister, defense, interior, finance as well as youth and sports minister.

Reporting by Omur Melih Uzelce; Writing by Handan Kazancı;