Former Turkish Parliament Speaker İsmet Sezgin laid to rest in Ankara

İsmet Sezgin, a former parliament speaker of Turkey who died aged 88 on Dec. 7, was laid to rest following an official ceremony at the Turkish Parliament.

Starting his political career in the 1950s, Sezgin served in seven cabinets as minister throughout the 1990s. He died of multiple organ failure at the Gülhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) on Dec. 7. 

The official ceremony at parliament was attended by his family, relatives and high state officials, including Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.

Giving a speech at the ceremony, Yıldırım praised the former parliament speaker.

"[Sezgin] has always existed in Turkey's recent history as a politician and statesman," he said.

Parliament's General Assembly, where marathon annual budget talks are still ongoing, came to a halt for the ceremony.

Born in 1928 in the western Turkish province of Aydın, Sezgin began his political career in 1952 with the Democrat Party. In 1955 he was elected as mayor of Aydın. He was later arrested after the May 27, 1960 military coup.     

Sezgin, who later served as parliament speaker, also served as a deputy prime minister, defense minister, interior minister, finance minister, and youth and sports minister.