CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress elected Özgür Özel as the new chairman.
In the first round, Özgür Özel received 682 votes and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu received 664 votes. Both candidates failed to reach the absolute majority and the second round of voting began.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who cast his vote in the second round, left the congress hall after the vote.
Özgür Özel, who received 812 votes in the second round of voting, became the 8th CHP chairman. Kılıçdaroğlu received 536 votes in the second round.
Who is Ozgur Ozel?
Özgür Özel was born in Manisa in 1974. He completed his secondary and high school education at İzmir Bornova Anatolian High School German Department and Manisa High School, and his undergraduate education at Ege University Faculty of Pharmacy.
In 1999, Özel started to work as a self-employed pharmacist and served as the General Secretary of Manisa Chamber of Pharmacists for one term between 2001-2007 and as the President of the Chamber for two terms. In the same years, he served as Spokesperson and President of Manisa Academic Chambers Union. During this period, he was the organizer and spokesperson of the Manisa Republic Rally. Pharmacist Özgür Özel received various awards for the social and environmental projects he realized during his presidency.
He is a member of international organizations such as the International Federation of Pharmacy, the European Union Pharmacy Group, the European Pharmacy Forum and a delegate of Turkey. He has made written and oral presentations, presentations and panel management in 163 congresses and conferences.
In the March 29, 2009 local elections, Özgür Özel was the mayoral candidate of the Republican People's Party for Manisa and served as a delegate of the Republican People's Party for Manisa Province in the 33rd Ordinary Congress and the 15th Extraordinary Congress.
In 2007 and December 2009, he was elected to the Central Board of the Turkish Pharmacists' Association. He served as Treasurer for one term and Secretary General for two terms in the Union of Turkish Pharmacists. On 10.03.2011, he resigned from his post to become a candidate for Parliament. On June 12, 2011, he was elected as the Republican People's Party Manisa MP in the Parliamentary General Elections.
In the 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th terms, he was elected as Manisa MP. He took part in the Health, Family, Labor and Social Affairs Commission, SOMA Mine Accident Investigation Commission, CHP Prisons Monitoring and Investigation Commission and CHP Commission to Investigate the Problems of Universities and Students.
At the 18th CHP Extraordinary Congress, he was elected as a member of the party assembly. He held this position until he assumed the position of Deputy Group Chairman.
In the 25th, 26th and 27th terms, he served as CHP Group Deputy Chairman, and in the 28th term, he continues to serve as Group Chairman.
Özgür Özel, whose parents are retired teachers, is married to Didem Özel, a pharmacist, and they have a daughter named İpek.