Career
After finishing the high school in Bursa, he obtained a degree in finance from the School of Political Science at Ankara University in 1931. Ferit Melen entered the state service right after his graduation, and was sent to Paris, France for an internship at the ministry of finance there. After one year, he returned home and worked in several services of the ministry of finance as inspector.
In 1943, he was promoted to general director in the ministry.
After the end of the legislative term, he did not run for the parliament at the elections in 1954, and returned to his profession to work as a chartered accountant, he practiced until his retirement in 1959. He served also minister of national defense in the two cabinets of Nihat Erim from March 26, 1971 to May 22, 1972.
Following the resignation of Nihat Erim, he was appointed prime minister of a military-approved coalition government that lasted until April 15, 1973. Between March 31, 1975 and June 21, 1977, he served a second time as minister of national defense in the cabinet of Süleyman Demirel.
On July 12, 1980, he was appointed again senator that ended on September 12, 1980 with the military coup.
Ferit Melen was elected to Turkish Grand National Assembly in the 1983 elections as a candidate of the Nationalist Democracy Party (MDP). The airport of Van is named after him.