due to health reasons. He was pardoned again by president Cevdet Sunay on July 8, 1966. With a new amnesty law enacted by the Justice Party government on 8 August 1966, all former DP members, including those sentenced to life imprisonment, were freed. Later years and death Restoring ex-Democrats full political rights was a divisive issue in Turkey during the 1960s. After being pardoned, Bayar worked to restore the political rights of former DP members. In 1968, he founded a club called Bizim Ev (Our Home), which aimed to bring together ex-Democrats who lost their political rights. He held a historic meeting with his political rival İnönü on 14 May 1969 that lead to CHP passing a constitutional amendment which returned suspended rights to former DP members. This amendment offended Sunay and the army, and also divided the Justice Party, resulting in the birth of the Democratic Party in 1970 (which Bayar supported). Full political rights were restored to Bayar in 1974, but he declined an invitation to become a life member of the Senate, on the grounds that one can represent the people only if elected. When a large group of Democratic Party members returned to the Justice Party after the amnesty was granted, Bayar also supported the Justice Party in the 1975 Senate partial elections; He took to the podium together with Süleyman Demirel and spoke at the Justice Party rally held in Bursa. He supported the 1980 military junta and the 1982 Constitution. He died on 22 August 1986 in Istanbul at the age of 103 after a brief illness. There was debate over burying Bayar in Anıtkabir like his old rival İsmet İnönü was, this was advocated by Motherland (ANAP) party leader Türgüt Özal and SHP leader Erdal İnönü, İsmet's son. However President Kenan Evren objected and Bayar was buried in his hometown of Umurbey after a state ceremony in Ankara, at which Evren was in attendance. From 24 April 1978, when former Paraguayan President Federico Chávez died, until his own death; Bayar was the world's oldest living former head of state. Awards and legacy In 1954, Bayar was awarded the Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland). 27 January 1954 Bayar received the Legion of Merit Award from the President of the United States, as a result of Turkey's