Ömer Çelik

Ömer Çelik (born 15 June 1968) is a Turkish journalist and politician. Between 24 January 2013 and 28 August 2015 he served as Minister of Culture and Tourism. He served as the Minister of European Union Affairs and as the Chief Negotiator for Turkish Accession to the European Union between 2016–2018.

Early years He was born on 15 June 1968 in Adana to Ziya Çelik and his wife Dudu. After graduating from Gazi University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, he earned his master's degree in political science at the same university's Graduate School of Social Sciences.

Ömer Çelik worked as a journalist and political scientist. He joined the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and became political advisor to the party leader. He is also the chairman of the Friendship Group of Bilateral Parliamentary Relations between Turkey and the United States.

Controversies His positions have periodically attracted criticism, particularly in relation to domestic political polarization, turkey's foreign policy and the Kurdish issue. As the justice and development party spokesperson, he has frequently defended the policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the governing party in public disputes with opposition politicians.

Çelik has been a prominent participant in disputes between the AK party and the Republican People's Party (CHP). In 2026 the criticized CHP politicians and rejected allegations concerning the government's involvement in judicial proceeding affecting the CHP, characterizing the matter as an internal issue of the opposition party. Opposition parties and politicians, however, characterized the judicial intervention against the CHP leadership as politically motivated and damaging to democratic institutions.

His statement concerning Israel and the Gaza war have also generated political controversy. Çelik has repeatedly condemned Israeli military operations and described Israel's actions in Gaza in strongly critical terms. His statements from part of the AK party government's broader position on the conflict and have been accompanied by criticism of Israel's policies.

Çelik has likewise has been a spokesman for the government's position om the Kurdish issue and relations to the Kurdish political and armed groups in Syria. In August 2026, he welcomed the dissolution of the Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its proposed integration into Syria's armed forces, describing the development as a step towards strengthening Syria's territorial integrity. The Turkish government's has been contested by Kurdish political actors, particularly regarding the future political and security status of Kurdish groups in Syria.

Personal life Ömer Çelik is single.