About Devlet Bahçeli Devlet Bahçeli (born 1948) is a Turkish politician and chairman of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Born in 1948 in Osmaniye, he also attended the primary school there, but moved to Istanbul for his secondary education. Bahçeli received his higher education from the scientific academy in Ankara and his doctorate from the Gazi University in Ankara. In 1987, Bahçeli became a member of the board of the Nationalist Task Party (MÇP), which later became the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Following the death of its leader, Alparslan Türkeş, in 1997, he became the chairman. From 1999 to 2002, Bahçeli served as Deputy Prime Minister.