Mehmet Recai Kutan (born 1930) is a Turkish politician and the former leader of Felicity Party (SP). Biography Kutan graduated from ITU obtaining a degree in civil engineering in 1952. Until 1973, he worked as an engineer in various projects including the GAP. His political career started 1973 in MSP and after 1983 he served in Refah Party. He was minister of energy in 1996 in a coalition led by Refah Party. At the 3rd party congress held on 26 October 2008 in Ankara, he did not run for his re-election as the leader of the SP, and was succeeded by Numan Kurtulmuş in the post. He is a member of the İsmailağa, a Turkish sufistic community of the Naqshbandi tariqah. References Biography External links 20th-century Turkish engineers 1930 births Living people People from Malatya National Salvation Party politicians Welfare Party politicians Virtue Party politicians Felicity Party politicians Government ministers of Turkey Leaders of political parties in Turkey Istanbul Technical University alumni Leaders of the Opposition (Turkey) Deputies of Malatya Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey Members of the 21st Parliament of Turkey Members of the 20th Parliament of Turkey Naqshbandi order Turkish civil engineers