About Deniz Baykal Deniz Baykal (born 20 July 1938 in Antalya, Turkey) is a Turkish politician and long-time leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP). At the moment, he is the main opposition leader of the Turkish parliament.Baykal was born to Hüseyin Hilmi who was a Caucasian muhajir and Feride, born Cideciyan, who was born of Circassian parents in Bafra. He was educated at the University of Ankara's Faculty of Law. He later studied at the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University, New York in the U.S. as a research fellow, and finished his PhD by 1963 in Ankara. He became an Associate Professor in the University of Ankara's Faculty of Science, where he lectured extensively. He quit his career as an academic in 1973, when he was elected as a member of the Turkish parliament from the Republican People's Party. He served as the Minister of Finance, Energy and Foreign Affairs in various times throughout his career, as well as Deputy Prime Minister. He became the Republican People's Party's General Secrerary in 1988, and in 1992, he was elected as the leader of the party, a post he still holds. Today, his social democratic and secular Republican People's Party is the second biggest of the country and is the major opposition party in the parliament. Baykal was the vice-president of the Socialist International between 2003-2008. In May 2005, Baykal visited Israel for a meeting between the Socialist International in Tel Aviv. While he was in Israel, he visited and prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. He visited the mosque with Petek Gurbuz, a member of the Socialist International, but she grew angry crowds for entering the mosque without a scarf and uncovered sholders, which she left the area quickly. Baykal and his party played a major role in preventing the US military using Turkey to invade Iraq. Baykal remains a staunch supporter of a strong response to terrorism.