Meral Akşener
| Meral Akşener | |
|---|---|
| Vice-speaker of the parliament | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office July 8, 2011 - Serving with Sadık Yakut, Mehmet Sağlam, Güldal Mumcu | |
| Preceded by | Nevzat Pakdil, Sadık Yakut, Güldal Mumcu |
| Vice-speaker of the parliament | |
| In office August 10, 2007 – June 12, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | İsmail Alptekin, Nevzat Pakdil, Sadık Yakut, Yılmaz Ateş |
| Succeeded by | Mehmet Sağlam, Sadık Yakut, Güldal Mumcu |
| Minister of the Interior | |
| In office November 8, 1996 – June 30, 1997 | |
| Prime Minister | Necmettin Erbakan |
| Preceded by | Mehmet Ağar |
| Succeeded by | Murat Başesgioğlu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 18, 1956 Izmit, Turkey |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Political party | Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) |
| Alma mater | Istanbul University Marmara University |
| Occupation | Politician, academician |
Meral Akşener (born July 8, 1956) is a Turkish woman politician. She served as Minister of the Interior and is currently a vice-speaker of the parliament.
Early life
Meral Akşener was born on July 8, 1956 to Tahir Ömer and his wife Sıddıka in Gündoğdu neighborhood of İzmit.[1][2]
She was educated in History at Istanbul University. She made her post graduate studies at the Social Sciences Institute of Marmara University earning a Ph.D. degree. She then worked as a lecturer in the faculties of Yıldız Technical University, Kocaeli University and Marmara University before entering politics.[2]
Politics
She entered politics with the general elections in 1995 as deputy of Istanbul Province from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Akşener has been Minister of the Interior between November 8, 1996 and June 30, 1997 replacing Mehmet Ağar, who resigned as a result of his involvement in the Susurluk scandal.[2]
Akşener was re-elected into the parliament in the 1995 general election as deputy of Kocaeli Province, and again in the general elections 2007 and 2011 representing Istanbul Province.[2]
She was elected vice-speaker of the parliament alongside Güldal Mumcu, another woman politician, as serving at this post after Nermin Neftçi, who was Turkey's first woman vice-speaker elected in 1968.[2]