Mustafa Atıcı

Mustafa Atici (; born 2 October 1969) is a Turkish-born Swiss businessman and politician who currently serves as member of the Executive Council of Basel-Stadt since 2024 for the Social Democratic Party. He previously served on the National Council (Switzerland) from 2019 to 2023 and on the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt from 2005 to 2019.

Early life and education Atici was born 2 October 1969 in Elbistan, Turkey, the fourth of eight children, of grain traders of Kurdish descent. His father was a grain wholesaler who traded the grain of small village producers in Eastern Anatolia in Istanbul. The family was considered upper middle class living on the second floor of a commercial building and sheep, cows and goats on the first floor.

He completed primary school in Elbistan, some high school in Gaziantep before entering Pertevniyal High School in Istanbul in 1982. Between 1987 and 1989, he began studying industrial engineering at Gazi University in Ankara.

After a brief stay with relatives in Cologne, Germany, he came to Basel in 1991 visiting relatives and decided to study economics at the University of Basel. Initially he wanted to go back to Turkey to become a full professor.

Professional career During a visit to his sister in London he became familiarized with the business model of doner kebab shops and decided to launch in Basel. He was a pioneer of the industry opening the first shop ("City-Liner") in 1996. In the Grand Council he advocated for a better framework for the Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs) and also the improvement of the education. After Turkey bombed the mainly Kurdish population in Afrin, Syria, and subsequently invaded and captured Afrin, he was a leading force behind a resolution of the Grand Council which condemned the Turkish invasion of Afrin.

In the parliamentary elections in 2019 he was placed third in the Canton Basel-Stadt and until October 2023 he represented the Canton of Basel-Stadt in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. In view of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey, he voiced support for an accelerated visa program for victims with relatives in Switzerland.

In May 2024, Atici was elected to serve as member of the Executive Council of Basel-Stadt. In 1990s six of his siblings lived in Switzerland. He is a Swiss and Turkish dual citizen.