Biography
Taylan Yildiz, born in Ankara, Turkey, is a prominent Turkish political figure and former member of the Good Party. He gained significant attention for his work with the Good Party group in the Municipal Council of Istanbul. Yildiz is well-educated, holding degrees in Engineering and Business Administration from Bogaziçi University, the University of Massachusetts, and Stanford University. His career began at Google after his studies at Bogaziçi and Stanford Universities.
In the political arena, Yildiz is known for his innovative campaigns and initiatives. He gained public attention in 2020 when Tevfik Göksu, the deputy head of the AKP group in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Assembly, referred to him as "internet friend." This led Yildiz to start a campaign with the hashtags "internet brother" and "we want internet in the metro," advocating for free internet service on the Istanbul subway. His efforts were successful, with free internet service commencing on the Istanbul metro in October 2021.
Yildiz also distributed tablet computers to children and young people during the online education process that began with the COVID-19 pandemic. His project, named "internetsiz koy kalmasin" (no village without internet), aimed to support remote learning. He has been a vocal advocate for reducing taxes on internet, mobile phones, and computers, and for freedom of expression for young people on social media networks.
On March 12, 2023, Yildiz conducted a live broadcast on social media platforms, asking the public whether he should resign from his current position and become a parliamentary candidate. Following a positive response from the majority, he resigned from his positions in the Sariyer and IBB Assembly on March 15, 2023. Later, on June 19, 2023, he announced his resignation from the Good Party.
Regarding his personal life, Taylan Yildiz married Alev Inam in 2014, and the couple had a daughter in 2023.
Yildiz's decision to return to Turkey after his studies and work in the United States was driven by his desire to contribute to his home country. He expressed a commitment to helping Turkey, especially in terms of creating a better environment for entrepreneurship and technology.
