Turkey's former Adelet Partisi (or AP, Justice Party) dominated the centre-right of Turkish politics during the 1960s and 70s, but was closed down by the military regime that seized power on 12 September 1980. Following the earlier coup of 27 May 1960, the previously ruling Democrat Parti (or DP, Democrat Party) had been dissolved and its leader Adnan Menderes executed (1961); in February 1961, the AP was set up as its successor, inheriting much of the former DP's grassroots organisation. It also inherited the DP's commitment