Umut Oran

Umut Oran (born 16 October 1962) is a Turkish textile manufacturer and a centre-left politician who currently serves as a vice president of Socialist International since 13 December 2014. He served as a Member of Parliament for Istanbul's 3rd electoral district during the 24th Parliament of Turkey, lasting between 2011 and 2015. He is a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP), having formerly served as a deputy leader of the party and the president of the CHP Administrative and Financial Affairs Department. He served as the president of the International Apparel Federation between 2002 and 2003. Oran announced his candidacy for the party leadership against the then-incumbent Deniz Baykal during the 2008 Ordinary Convention, but failed to gain enough nominations to run for election. In the 2010 Ordinary Convention, the newly elected leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu appointed him as a Deputy party leader. In the 34th Ordinary Convention held in 2012, he became a member of the Party Council. Oran was not fielded as a candidate by Kılıçdaroğlu for the June 2015 general election for unknown reasons, drawing speculation that Kılıçdaroğlu was attempting to eliminate influential CHP politicians seen as a challenger to his leadership. Despite speculation, Oran was not fielded as a candidate for the November 2015 general election either. On 4 November 2015, shortly after the CHP lost the November 2015 election, Oran announced his candidacy for the party leadership in the upcoming 35th Ordinary Convention due to be held in January 2016.