▁Mar m ara ▁Sea , ▁Ö cal an ▁was ▁tried ▁for ▁tre ason ▁and ▁sent enced ▁to ▁death , ▁later ▁comm uted ▁to ▁life ▁imprison ment . ▁▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁elections ▁ ▁The ▁D SP ▁won ▁big ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁elections ▁on ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁the ▁Ö cal an ▁ab du ction . ▁Second ▁place ▁went , ▁surprising ly , ▁to ▁the ▁National ist ▁Mov ement ▁Party ▁( M HP ). ▁These ▁two ▁parties , ▁alongside ▁Y ı l maz ' s ▁AN AP ▁formed ▁a ▁government . ▁The ▁popular ▁per ception ▁was ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁fail ; ▁these ▁were , ▁after ▁all , ▁the ▁inherit ors ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁groups ▁that ▁were ▁fighting ▁so ▁viol ently ▁in ▁the ▁streets ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁However , ▁the ▁government ▁was ▁somewhat ▁effective , ▁if ▁not ▁harm on ious , ▁bringing ▁about ▁much - ne eded ▁economic ▁reform , ▁inst itut ing ▁human ▁rights ▁legisl ation , ▁and ▁bringing ▁Turkey ▁ever ▁closer ▁to ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁( E U ). ▁ ▁Er do ğ an ▁government ▁( 2 0 0 2 ▁- ▁ 2 0 2 0 ) ▁▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁elections ▁ ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁economic ▁shock s ▁led ▁to ▁new ▁elections ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁bringing ▁into ▁power ▁the ▁religious ly ▁conserv ative ▁Justice ▁and ▁Development ▁Party ▁( AK P ) ▁of ▁former ▁mayor ▁of ▁Ist an bul , ▁Re cep ▁T ay y ip ▁Er do