Ozgur Ozel assumes leadership of Türkiye's main opposition CHP party
Ozgur Ozel was elected chairman of Türkiye’s Republican People's Party (CHP) early Sunday in the second round of voting of the party’s 38th Ordinary Congress. At the age of 49, Ozgür Ozel has assumed the position of the eighth chairman of the political party. Prior to his current role, he held the position of deputy parliamentary group chairman for CHP.
Ozgur Ozel was elected as the chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) at the 38th Ordinary Congress. Ozgur Ozel won the CHP chairmanship election with 812 votes. Former chairman of CHP, Kemal Kilicdaroglu received 536 votes.
The congress started on Nov. 4 in Arena Sports Hall in the capital Ankara. One of the leadership candidates, Ilhan Cihaner, announced before congress that he withdrew from the race.
Ozel received 812 votes, while then-leader of CHP Kemal Kilicdaroglu received 536 in the second round.
As the absolute majority could not be achieved in the first round, the second-round election started at 00.30 am local time and was completed at 2.30 am.
Ozel received 682 votes in the first round and Kilicdaroglu received 664 votes from a total of 1,366 deputies.
At the age of 49, Ozgür Ozel has assumed the position of the eighth chairman of the political party. Prior to his current role, he held the position of deputy parliamentary group chairman for CHP.
Hailing from the Aegean province of Manisa, Ozel is a graduate of the Faculty of Pharmaceuticals at Ege University.
His political career began with his election as a deputy representing the Manisa electoral district during the 2011 general election. He subsequently secured re-election in both the June 2015 and November 2015 elections.
In September 2014, Ozel gained further recognition within the CHP party by being elected to the party council during its 18th Extraordinary Convention.
Ozel, who speaks German and English, is married and has one child.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu,former chairman of CHP, congratulated Ozgur Ozel, who was elected as the chairman at the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress.
"I have carried the trust of our Great Leader Ataturk with honor until today. Today, with the decision of our congress delegates, I say goodbye to the post of general chairmanship. I would like to thank everyone who has shouldered our struggle until today. I congratulate our new chairman Ozgür Ozel, who was elected as the new chairman, and wish him success," on his social media account, Kilicdaroglu said.
Source: Newsroom
