Bülent Arınç

Lawyer, politician. He was born in Bursa in 1948. He is the youngest son of Gendarmerie Sergeant Ibrahim Arinç and Sevdiye Fatma Arinc. He completed his primary and secondary school education in Elazig and graduated from Manisa High School. After graduating from Ankara University Faculty of Law in 1970; he worked as a freelance lawyer in Manisa for many years.

He started to get involved in politics during his university years. He was the president of the youth section in the political party where he was a member of and also the provincial chairman. Bülent Arinç was elected as a Manisa Deputy from the Welfare Party (WP) in December 24, 1995 general elections. He was the member of WP Central Decision Making and Executive Council.

During his first term as deputy, he took part in TGNA Justice Committee and Turkey-EU Mixed Committee. After the WP was shut down by Constitutional Court on February 15, 1998; he became a member of Virtue Party (VP) with a group of his friends on February 27, 1998. He was elected as Manisa Deputy from VP in April 18, 1999 general elections. He was the TGNA VP Group Deputy Chairman in two legislative terms and also was a member of TGNA Foreign Affairs Committee.

Bülent Arinç has acted together with Kayseri Deputy Abdullah Gül, who was a member of "Reformist Wing" group and supported Abdullah Gül as the candidate to become the new leader of party at First VP General Congress on May 14, 2000.After VP was shut down by the Constitutional Court on 22.6.2001; those deputies who were members of the "Reformist Wing" have established Justice and Development Party on 14.8.2001 under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Bülent Arinç was among the founders. He became TGNA JDP Group Deputy Chairman.

He was elected from Manisa in 2002 and 2007; and from Bursa in 2011 elections. He was Black Sea Economic Cooperation Parliamentary Assembly (KEIPA) Turkish Group Chairman in 23^rd Term. He was elected as the Chairman of TGNA on November 19, 2002 (22nd Term).

His name was among those for President for 2007 Presidential elections; but he said he will not be a candidate and waived in favor of Abdullah Gül. After July 22 General Elections, he was not a candidate for Parliament Chair. There was a revision on May 1, 2009 and Arinc became the Vice Prime Minister; then he was assigned as vice prime Minister and government spokesperson in 61^st Government of Turkey after 2011 General Elections. Bülent Arinç was not a candidate in June 7, 2015 elections due to the rule of three terms. He is still the Vice Prime Minister, which began on August 29, 2014.

He speaks proficient English and he is the father of three children (2 sons, 1 daughter) and married with Munevver Arinç. His son Mehmet Fatih Arinç lost his life in a traffic accident that occurred in 1997.