Lütfi Elvan (born 12 March 1962) is a Turkish politician. Elvan has served as the Minister of Finance and Treasury of Turkey from November 2020 to December 2021.[1] He previously served as the Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication from 2013 to 2015. He has served as a Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Karaman from 2007 to June 2015, for Antalya from June to November 2015 and for Mersin since November 2015. He is a member of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti).

Lütfi Elvan
Minister of Treasury and Finance
In office
10 November 2020 – 2 December 2021
PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan
Preceded byBerat Albayrak
Succeeded byNureddin Nebati
Minister of Development
In office
24 May 2016 – 10 July 2018
Prime MinisterBinali Yıldırım
Preceded byCevdet Yılmaz
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey
In office
24 November 2015 – 24 May 2016
Prime MinisterAhmet Davutoğlu
Served withYalçın Akdoğan
Mehmet Şimşek
Tuğrul Türkeş
Numan Kurtulmuş
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byVeysi Kaynak
Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication
In office
26 December 2013 – 7 March 2015
Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan
Ahmet Davutoğlu
Preceded byBinali Yıldırım
Succeeded byFeridun Bilgin
Member of the Grand National Assembly
In office
22 July 2007 – 10 November 2020
ConstituencyKaraman (2007, 2011)
Antalya (June 2015)
Mersin (Nov 2015, 2018)
Personal details
Born (1962-03-12) 12 March 1962 (age 62)
Ermenek, Karaman Province, Turkey
Political partyJustice and Development Party
Children2
Alma mater
ProfessionPolitician, engineer

Early life

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Lütfi Elvan was born to A. Nuri Elvan and his wife Samiye at Ermenek town in Karaman Province on 12 March 1962.[2][3]

He studied mining engineering at Istanbul Technical University graduating in 1983. Elvan received a scholarship from the state-owned mining company Etibank for further study abroad. He continued his education earning a master's degree in the fields of mining engineering and operations research with a thesis on "Determination of Optimal Production Systems in short-term Mining Production Planning" at University of Leeds, England in 1986. In 1995, he received a further master's degree in economics at University of Delaware, US.[2][3][4]

Professional career

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Elvan began his professional career in 1987 as an engineer working in the operations research department at Etibank. There, he was instrumental in implementing computer-aided mining applications.[4]

In 1989, he moved to State Planning Organization (DPT), and worked until 1996 as specialist. Appointed Head of Department for Regions with Development Priorities in 1996, he served at this post until 2002. He was promoted to Deputy Undersecretary of DPT in November 2002.[2][3] In July 2007, he resigned from his post to enter politics.[4]

Political career

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He joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (Akparty), and was elected into the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in the 2007 general election as an MP from Karaman Province.[2] He became one of the party leader's head advisors.[4] In the parliament, Elvan was appointed Head of the Hungary-Turkey Interparliamentary Group.[3]

Elvan was re-elected into the parliament in the 2011 general election. He served as the chairman of the parliamentary Budget and Planning Commission.[3]

On 26 December 2013, Elvan assumed office as the Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication, succeeding Binali Yıldırım during Erdoğan's cabinet reshuffle with ten new names that was announced the day before, on 25 December, following the 2013 corruption scandal in Turkey.[2][5][6][7][8]

Minister of Finance and Treasury

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He assumed as Minister of Finance and Treasury in November 2020 as the successor of Erdogans son in-law Berat Albayrak.[9] His tenure was marked with the fall of the Turkish lira and an ailing Turkish economy which he wanted to defend with a stable currency exchange rate and a low inflation.[9] He didn't applaud Erdogans financial policy of low interest rates,[9] resigned from his post on the 2 December 2021 and was succeeded by Nureddin Nebati.[10]

Personal life

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Elvan is married and has two children.[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ "Lütfi Elvan bakanlıktan istifa etti, yerine Nureddin Nebati atandı". birgun.net (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "İşte yeni bakanların özgeçmişi". Radikal (in Turkish). 26 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Lütfi Elvan" (in Turkish). TBMM. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d "Lütfü Elvan kimdir? Yeni Ulaştırma Bakanı Lütfü Elvan kimdir?". A Haber (in Turkish). 25 December 2013. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Üç bakan istifa etti". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 25 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  6. ^ Yılmazi Turan & Esra Kaya (26 December 2013). "Kabinede 10 değişiklik". Hürriyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  7. ^ "PM Erdoğan announces new Cabinet with 10 changes amid graft probe". Hürriyet Daily News. 25 December 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  8. ^ "PM Erdoğan announces 10 new names in major Cabinet reshuffle". Today's Zaman. 25 December 2013. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b c "AKP officials say Finance Minister may leave post soon". Gazete Duvar. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Türkischer Präsident Erdogan tauscht Finanzminister aus". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2 December 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication
26 December 2013 – 7 March 2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ministry of Development
24 May 2016 – 10 July 2018
Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by Ministry of Treasury and Finance
10 November 2020 – 2 December 2021
Succeeded by
  NODES
Note 1