He served against the Greeks during the Turkish war of independence (1919–22). He was chosen by Atatürk as first Prime Minister of the Turkish republic (1923–37) and in 1938 succeeded him as President, remaining in power until the Democrat victory of 1950. Inönü remained leader of the Republican People’s Party and served again as Prime Minister (1961–65) in the aftermath of the 1960 military coup.