Main opposition chief’s brother works as guard

İZMİR - Doğan News Agency

Celal Kılıçdaroğlu says it will not be right to seek help from his brother. DHA photo

Turkish politicians are famous for using their authority and links to help relatives land steady, lucrative jobs, but apparently not so Turkey’s main opposition leader, whose brother has been revealed to be a night watchman at a construction site.

Celal Kılıçdaroğlu, the youngest brother of Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, had financial difficulties after his retirement and began working again to make a living.

Born in Tunceli like his CHP brother, he worked at the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) in the northwestern province of Kocaeli before retiring in 2007. He returned to his hometown for a short period when his mother fell ill before moving back to Kocaeli after her death in 2009. Unable to find work in Kocaeli, he moved to Gaziemir in the Aegean province of İzmir.

When asked why he had not contacted his older brother and requested help, Kılıçdaroğlu said: “He is the leader of the CHP, so should I have asked him for a favor? Wouldn’t he be in a difficult position if I had done that? Wouldn’t that be unfair to other people? Besides, working is not something to be ashamed of. … I don’t like sitting at a desk all day. I am very content here.”

The younger Kılıçdaroğlu said retirement pensions did not provide enough funds to live on and called on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to improve their situation.

The CHP leader told daily Hürriyet that he was proud of his brother in response to questions about the younger Kılıçdaroğlu’s situation.

“This information is accurate. My brother earns his bread and butter working honestly and hard. I wish him great health and comfort as [one of] the millions of workers who earn their bread with their head held high,” the main opposition leader said.