Bülent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party (DSP) had been soaring in popularity after the capture of Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, emerged as the biggest party and swept the board in most of Turkey's western provinces. It failed, however, to obtain an overall majority, and did not do nearly as well in the eastern provinces.
The success of Bülent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party (DSP) was tied to the capture of Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the PKK, which led to a surge in popularity in western Turkey. However, they failed to achieve a national majority and did not perform as well in eastern provinces.