Hasan Celal Güzel


Hasan Celal Güzel was a Turkish journalist and politician. He was Minister of Education, Youth and Sport. He was leader of the Rebirth Party in the 1990s, a party he co-founded in 1992. He has been a columnist for Radikal and Vatan.

Career

After graduating from Ankara University with a degree in economics he worked in the State Planning Organization, and then in various administrative roles in the government including in the Prime Minister's office.
In a 1986 election he was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for the Motherland Party, serving as a minister of state. He was re-elected in the 1987 elections and was appointed minister of education, youth and sport.
On 23 November 1992 Güzel co-founded the Rebirth Party and was elected its vice-chair. He was the leader of the party during the 1994 Turkish local elections and 1999.
In 2012 Güzel said that General Teoman Koman had approached him in September 1996 with a view to installing him or Mesut Yılmaz as prime minister after a planned coup. Güzel declined to get involved. In the event, Yılmaz was appointed Prime Minister after the 28 February 1997 "post-modern coup".