Devlet Bahceli was born in Osmaniye in 1948. He comes from a large Turcoman family in the community known as Fettahogullari.
Dr. Bahçeli, who completed his primary education in Osmaniye and secondary education in Istanbul, had his university degree in Ankara Economic and Commercial Sciences Academy.
Dr. Bahçeli has undertaken missions at each stage of idealist Movement from the very beginning and served for the Great Idealist Cause. Dr. Bahçeli, when he was a student in the Economic and Commercial Sciences Academy in the year 1967, became a Founder of the Idealist Club and a manager. He had the post of Secretary General of the Turkish National Students Federation between the years 1970-1971. While Dr. Bahçeli participated in the Idealist Movement actively, he also maintained his activities in the scientific field.
In 1972 he taught as an instructor in the Economic and Commercial Sciences Academy and in the Higher Schools under this Academy in Ankara. He was also one of the founders and presidents of idealist Financiers and Economists Association, of the University, Academy and Higher Schools Assistants’ Association (ÜMID-BIR and ÜNAY). He speaks English and he had his Doctorate Degree on economy in the Gazi University Social Sciences Institute and continued his carrier in the same university, Faculty of Economic And Administrative Sciences, Department of the Main Science in 1987.
Dr. Bahceli, within this time period, was busy with the subjects of Turkish - Islamic world, Turkish and World Economy, Turkish History and Foreign Policy and conducted researches and studies in these fields. After the 12 September 1980 coup d’etat, he conducted activities of defense of the right causes of the members, who have filled the prisons, of the MHP and the Idealist organizations.
Devlet Bahceli, upon being called by Leader (Basbug) Alparslan Türkes for duty, has undertaken significant tasks. He resigned his post of instruction in the university on 17 April 1987 and then was elected to the party administration in the Great Congress of the MHP and assigned as Secretary General.
His official position in the MÇP (Nationalist Labor Party) and MHP has continued up to now uninterruptedly. At various times, he has assumed many posts such as Secretary General, Assistant Party Leader, Central Executive Board Membership, Central Decision Board Membership, Chief Consultant to the Party Leader, and finally was elected as the MHP Leader following the Extraordinary Congress held on 6 July 1997. He was elected once again as the Party Leader in the 5th Ordinary Congress held on 23 November 1997.
After the 1999 elections MHP came out as second party and Devlet Bahceli became the Deputy Prime Minister under the Prime Minister, Mr. Bülent Ecevit. But during the general elections of 2002 his party couldn't pass the 10% threshold therefore stayed out of the Parliament. In the elections of 2007, 2011 and 2015 his party was able to pass the threshold.