Ali Talip Özdemir

Who is Ali Talip Özdemir?

Ali Talip Özdemir is a Turkish politician and the former leader of the Motherland Party.

He was born in the Central Anatolian town of Ereğli in Konya Province into a family with 12 children. His father Hüsnü Özdemir was a worker in the state-owned Sümerbank factory. Following his primary and high school education in Konya, Ali Talip Özdemir attended 1973 Ankara State Academy of Architecture and Engineering and graduated in 1977 as a mechanical engineer. He obtained his Master's degree in the same discipline in 1987.

Ali Talip Özdemir entered politics during his university years. He helped to establish the newly founded ANAP in Anatolia. In the regional election 1984, he was elected mayor of his hometown Ereğli. He served at this post two terms. In the general elections held on November 29, 1987, he quit his position as mayor, and was elected deputy of Konya from the Motherland Party into the parliament. He served also a while as the vice president of the party during the leadership of Turgut Özal.

In 1991, he became minister for the environment in cabinet of Mesut Yılmaz.