Ümit Özdağ
Ümit Özdağ | |
|---|---|
Özdağ in 2024 | |
| Leader of the Victory Party | |
| Assumed office 17 June 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Ali Şehirlioğlu (acting) |
| In office 26 August 2021 – 21 January 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Party established |
| Succeeded by | Ali Şehirlioğlu (acting) |
| Deputy Leader of the Nationalist Movement Party | |
| In office 14 November 2015 – 24 February 2016 | |
| Leader | Devlet Bahçeli |
| Preceded by | Yıldırım Tuğrul Türkeş |
| Succeeded by | Mehmet Günal |
| Member of the Grand National Assembly | |
| In office 7 June 2015 – 3 June 2023 | |
| Constituency | Gaziantep (Jun 2015, Nov 2015), Istanbul (II) (2018) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 March 1961 Tokyo, Japan |
| Party | Nationalist Movement Party (until 2016) Good Party (2017–2020, 2021) Victory Party (2021–present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Political science |
| Alma mater | Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Gazi University |
| Occupation | Academic, politician |
| Signature | |
| Website | umitozdag |
Ümit Özdağ (Turkish: [yˈmit ˈøzdɑː]; born 3 March 1961) is a Turkish politician who returned to his position as the current leader of the Victory Party after being released from prison on 17 June 2025. Also, prior to his arrest, he had served as the leader of the Victory Party from 26 August 2021 to 21 January 2025.
He was deputy leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) from November 2015 to February 2016. He announced his candidacy for the party leadership for the 8th MHP Ordinary Congress in 2006, but had his membership revoked two days later. After returning to the party following a successful lawsuit, he again announced his candidacy for the MHP leadership in April 2016 for the 2016 Nationalist Movement Party Extraordinary Congress, which was eventually called off after numerous legal disputes. He had his party membership revoked by the MHP High Disciplinary Board on 15 November 2016 joined the Good Party. In April 2019, he resigned from party's executive board but announced that he will continue to be in the party and continue his party-related activities. On 16 November 2020, Özdağ was also dismissed from the Good Party. He founded the right wing anti-immigrant Victory Party on 26 August 2021 and was elected the first chairman.