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Europe's first headscarved MP
Date	:	23/ 6/ 2009
By	:
Source: World Bulletin Turkish origin Mahinur Ozcelik swore in at Belgium's parliament in Brussels with her headscarf without any crisis. Ozdemir, 28-year-old, became first headscarved lawmaker in Europe. She became on Tuesday secretary member as the youngest MP in parliament alongside the oldest lawmaker. Ozdemir joined a live broadcast in a Turkish TV, Haberturk, with telephone conversation and said that "I blaze a trail in Europe by swearing in parliament." Responding the queation about headscarf discussions, she said that "They were bootless. We got over them." "They are undue and I focused on my job. I will continue to do that." Acted as a councillorship in Schaerbeek Municipality, whic is called "Turkish Quarter" in Brussels since 2006, Ozdemir added her success story one more chapter as a new generation of Turks. Ozdemir graduated from the human resources program in Brussels Free University (ULB). Got a graduate degree on public administration, the new deputy worked as an executive assistant for Frankafon Christian Democrats Party chairman Joëlle Milquet. In Belgium's regional parliamentary elections on June 7, 6 with Turkish origin out of 60 candidates won the elections. Frankafon Christian Democrats candidate Mahinur Ozdemir, who got 2 thousand 851 vote to win, was also the target of extreme right parties during election campaigns because of her veil. Some media outlets published news and commentaries against Ozdemir, and there were tensions within the party when election posters with her head-covered photo was blocked out with 'photoshop'.

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