Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who became a laughing stock when he failed to vote in the 2010 referendum, will not be able to vote for himself in the coming primary elections for the party's parliamentary candidacies for the June 7 general elections.
Kılıçdaroğlu, who took over as CHP chairman in May 2010, led the no-vote against the government's 2010 referendum on constitutional reforms that aimed to alter certain parts of the 1982 Constitution. Kılıçdaroğlu's associates realized the party leader could not vote in Istanbul because he had failed to get his address change registered. Kılıçdaroğlu went to Ankara for the vote on the referendum under the assumption that he could vote as a deputy, but when this turned out to be false, the leader, who during his campaigning admonished all who failed to vote as irresponsible, failed to vote.
Kılıçdaroğlu, who is planning to run from İzmir, had put forward his name in the provincial primary election list. However, according to Akşam daily, on the party delegate lists, Kılıçdaroğlu's name is not among those who are allowed to vote in İzmir. It appears the opposition leader will vote where he is registered in Ankara for the party's parliamentary candidates, but will not be able to vote for himself in İzmir.
CHP İzmir Provincial Secretary Osman Peri said the primaries took place under a judge's supervision and because Kılıçdaroğlu's name was not on the delegates list, he would not be able to vote in İzmir.
CHP headquarters in Ankara said they had no idea where Kılıçdaroğlu would vote.
