| party = {{ubl|[[Social Democratic Populist Party (Turkey)|Social Democratic Populist Party]] (SHP),| [[Republican People's Party (Turkey)|Republican People's Party]] (CHP),| [[Democratic Left Party (Turkey)|Democratic Left Party]] (DSP),| [[New Turkey Party (2002)|New Turkey Party]] (YTP) }}

In the [[1987 Turkish general election|general election held on 29 November 1987]], he entered the [[18th Parliament of Turkey|18th Parliament]] from the [[Social Democratic Populist Party (Turkey)|Social Democratic Populist Party]] (SHP) as a deputy of [[Mersin Province]], known as ''İçel Province'' at that time. He kept his seat in the [[19th Parliament of Turkey]]. He joined the [[Republican People's Party (Turkey)|Republican People's Party]] (CHP) when it was reestablished mainly by the members of the SHP on 16 September 1992.<ref>Türkiye'nin 75 Yılı, Tempo Yayıncılık, p.406</ref> In 1995, SHP merged into CHP. In the [[1995 Turkish general election|general election held on 24 December 1995]], however, he joined the [[Democratic Left Party (Turkey)|Democratic Left Party]] (DSP) as deputy of Mersin Province. In the [[55th government of Turkey|55th]],<ref>[http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/hukumetler/HB55 Parliament page for the 55th government]</ref> [[56th government of Turkey|56th]],<ref>[http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/hukumetler/HB56 Parliament page for the 56th government]</ref> and the [[57th government of Turkey]], he served as the [[Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Turkey)|Minister of Culture]] between 30 June 1997 and 9 July 2002.<ref>[http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/hukumetler/HB57 Parliament page for the 57th government]</ref> When the DSP broke up, he abandoned his seat in the government and joined the [[New Turkey Party (2002)|New Turkey Party]]. (YTP). In 2004, the YTP merged into the CHP. Currently, he is a member of the CHP.