Özgür Özel
Özgür Özel was born on September 21, 1974. See ranking, bio blurb, and everyone else born that day.
About Özgür Özel
Özgür Özel (Turkish: [œzˈɟyɾ œˈzæl]) (born 21 September 1974) is a Turkish pharmacist and politician who has served as leader of the New Party since 2026, and served as leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) from 2023 before being deposed in 2026. He had previously shared the parliamentary deputy group leadership of the CHP with Engin Altay and Levent Gök between 2015 and 2023. Following a court ruling in May 2026, his leadership of the CHP was subject to absolute nullification, triggering the CHP absolute nullity crisis. In July 2026, Özel announced that he would be leaving the CHP to form the New Party. Özel has been an MP for the electoral district of Manisa since the 2011 general election and is well known for his activism concerning the rights of miners in Manisa Province. Since February 2024, he has served as vice president of the Socialist International.