CHP moves on voters abroad

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has sped up development of its foreign organization mission to attract the votes of Turkish citizens living abroad, who recently got the right to vote in Turkish elections in their countries.

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has appointed his adviser and former Party Assembly member Ali Kılıç as the CHP’s foreign organization coordinator, the party announced on Dec. 13. Kılıç will be responsible for getting the CHP organized in Germany, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, the U.K., France, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark. “CHP European Solidarity Associations” will be founded soon as part of the CHP’s foreign organization mission.

Thanks to legislation adopted by Parliament in June, Turkish citizens living abroad will be able to vote in Turkish general and presidential elections in their countries of residence starting next year.

More than 6 million Turkish citizens live abroad, including around 4 million in Western European countries. More than 2 million Turks residing in foreign countries, 5 percent of eligible voters, are expected to vote in upcoming elections, most likely starting with the upcoming presidential election in 2014.