Züleyxa Izmailova

Züleyxa "Zuzu" Izmailova^[1][2] (Azerbaijani: Züleyxa İsmayılova; born 13 June 1985) is an Estonian journalist, environmental activist and politician, who was the leader of the Estonian Greens from March 2017 to February 2022.

Züleyxa Izmailova
Züleyxa İsmayılova
Leader of the Estonian Greens
In office 27 March 2017 – 10 February 2022
Preceded by	Aleksander Laane
Succeeded by	Johanna Maria Tõugu Marko Kaasik
Member of the Riigikogu
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 May 2023
Preceded by	Johanna-Maria Lehtme
Personal details
Born	(1985-06-15) 15 June 1985 (age 39) Tallinn, Estonia
Political party	SDE (2024–present)
Other political affiliations	Estonian Greens (2015–2022) E200 (2022–2024)
Domestic partner	Joonas Laks
Children	3

Biography

Izmailova was born to an Azerbaijani father and Estonian mother. Her partner is fellow member of the Estonian Greens Board Joonas Laks, with whom she has two children.^[3] Izmailova studied geodesy at Kehtna Vocational Education Center from 2005 to 2008, but did not graduate.^[4]

Political career

From 2005 to 2012, she was a member of the Social Democratic Party. On 27 March 2017, Izmailova was elected as the leader of the Estonian Greens party.^[5][6] She was one of the candidates for the mayoralty of Tallinn in 2017. On 9 November 2017, she became one of the deputy mayors of Tallinn, with Taavi Aas as the mayor of Tallinn.^[4] She is also a noted environmental activist, staging several protests about the environmental concerns of the Rail Baltica project, as well as advocating for the strengthening of environmental regulations in Estonia.^[7]

Züleyxa Izmailova left the Estonian Greens in February 2022^[8] and in May 2022 announced she had joined Eesti 200.^[9] In May 2023 she entered the Estonian Parliament following the resignation of Johanna-Maria Lehtme.^[10] In June 2024 she was ejected from Estonia 200 and subsequently rejoined the Social Democratic Party.^[11][12]

Awards

• 2016 – Anne & Stiil magazine Woman of the Year^[13]

References

1. "Eestimaa Rohelised uueks juhiks valiti Züleyxa Izmailova" (in Estonian). Pealinn. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
2. "Podcast rubriigist "Intervjuu" KUKU raadios" (in Estonian). kuku.postimees.ee. 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
3. "Ma elan siin. Aserbaidžaani verd Züleyxa Izmailova" (in Estonian). vikerraadio.err.ee. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
4. "Õppeosakonna juhataja Erni Ajaots mäletab Züleyxad hästi: "Muide, oma keskkooli lõputunnistuse on ta meie kooli unustanud ja see on siiamaani siin."" (in Estonian). Kroonika. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
5. "Eestimaa Roheliste uus juht seab eesmärgiks ökoriigi" (in Estonian). err.ee. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
6. "Roheliste uueks juhiks valiti Züleyxa Izmailova" (in Estonian). delfi.ee. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
7. "Keskkonnaaktivist rääkis "Radaris" oma argipäevast: päevad täis koosolekuid, seminare, meeleavaldusi" (in Estonian). postimees.ee. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
8. ERR News. Züleyxa Izmailova quits the Green Party. Retrieved 14 February 2022
9. ERR News. Former Estonian Greens chairman joins Eesti 200. Retrieved 5 May 2022
10. ERR News. MP replacing Lehtme: Entering the Riigkogu in this way is awkward. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
11. ERR, ERR | (2024-06-01). "Eesti 200 throws Züleyxa Izmailova out of party". ERR. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
12. ERR, ERR | (2024-06-12). "Former Eesti 200 MP Züleyxa Izmailova joins Social Democratic Party". ERR. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
13. "Ajakirja Anne&Stiil aasta naine on Züleyxa Izmailova" (in Estonian). elu24. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2018.