Turkey referendum: Vote expanding Erdogan powers 'valid'

News Update: Turkey referendum: Vote expanding Erdogan powers 'valid'

1 hour ago    Europe.

From the sectioEurope

BBC News:

The result of the referendum that grants sweeping new powers to the president of Turkey is valid, the head of the electoral body says.

Sadi Guven was speaking after the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) cited irregularities, including the use of unstamped ballot papers.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's push for an executive presidency succeeded with just over 51% of the vote.

The win was met with both celebrations and protests across Turkey.

The CHP has demanded a recount of 60% of the votes.

But Mr Guven told reporters on Monday the unstamped ballot papers had been produced by the High Electoral Board and were valid.

He said a similar procedure had been used in past elections.

Three of Turkey's biggest cities - Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir - all voted No to the constitutional changes.

Opposition supporters took to the streets of Istanbul to bang pots and pans - a traditional form of protest - in a series of noisy demonstrations.

Meanwhile, flag-waving supporters of Mr Erdogan celebrated as their president praised them for their "historic decision" that could keep him in office until 2029.

With 99.97% of ballots counted, the Yes campaign had won 51.41% of the votes cast, while No had taken 48.59%. Turnout was said to be as high as 85%.

Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said there would be no early elections following the result.

The parliamentary vote would be held as scheduled in 2019, Mr Simsek told Reuters news agency.

Responding to Sunday's result, the European Commission issued a statement saying it was awaiting the assessment of international observers.

It urged Mr Erdogan to respect the closeness of the vote and to "seek the broadest possible national consensus" when considering the far-reaching implications of the constitutional amendments.

A similar call was made by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.

"The tight referendum result shows how deeply divided Turkish society is and that means a big responsibility for the Turkish leadership and for President Erdogan personally," Mrs Merkel said in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel.

Profoundly polarized - BBC's Mark Lowen in Ankara

A divisive campaign ended in a contested result. President Erdogan declared victory by a narrow margin and called on every side to respect it. But the opposition has not conceded, claiming voting irregularities. It's clouded the legitimacy of the mandate the president now feels he's been given, to concentrate political power in his hands.

International observers will give their verdict today - that could embolden or weaken the opposition's case and determine how Turkey's western allies will respond.

Mr Erdogan hoped this would be the crowning moment of his career. But it's left Turkey profoundly polarized, at risk of becoming another chronically unstable part of the Middle East.

Death penalty next?

"Today... Turkey has taken a historic decision," Mr Erdogan told reporters at his official Istanbul residence, the Huber Palace. "With the people, we have realised the most important reform in our history."

The president also said the country could hold a referendum on bringing back the death penalty - a move that would end Turkey's EU negotiations.

CNN News:

Turkey referendum result challenged as Erdogan clinches slim victory

Updated 0959 GMT (1759 HKT) April 17, 2017.




Story Highlight:

• 47.5 million Turkish citizens voted in Sunday's referendum.
• The "yes" vote won by a slim margin, but results are yet to be confirmed.
• 
  

Opponents of Turkey's controversial referendum to grant expansive new powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have vowed to challenge the result, as provisional results indicated the narrowest of victories for the "yes" campaign.

After a divisive campaign fought against the backdrop a state of emergency and a widespread crackdown on dissent, Erdogan succeeded in persuading only 51.4% of voters to back his constitutional upheaval.

The three biggest cities in Turkey -- Ankara, Istanbul,

   Erdogan supporters wave flags near the AKP headquarters in Ankara.

and Izmir -- rejected the plans, which would abolish Turkey's system of parliamentary democracy and replace it with an executive presidency with sweeping, largely unchecked powers.

As "no" campaigners vented their anger, thousands of jubilant supporters of the ruling AKP party filled the streets of the capital, Ankara, beating drums and singing victory songs in Erdogan's name.

The results cement a years-long effort by Erdogan to consolidate his position. After serving as prime minister for nearly a decade, he took over as president in 2014 and through force of personality turned a largely ceremonial role into a de facto head of government.

A failed coup last year allowed him to turn up the heat on opposition voices in the run-up to Sunday's referendum. The "no" campaign said it faced intimidation and threats of violence, and independent monitors say that state media slanted coverage in favor of the president.

The narrowness of the result, coupled with allegations of irregularities, sets the scene for further instability as opposition parties promised to take their challenge to the courts. Independent election monitors were due to give their preliminary verdict on the vote later Monday.

"God willing, these results will be the beginning of a new era in our country," Erdogan said after his victory was clear on Sunday night.

"No one should have an offended or broken heart," said his prime minister, Binali Yildirim, whose post would be abolished under Erdogan's plan.

But the appeals for unity appeared likely to be in vain. Opponents of the referendum result were expected to take to the streets across the country Monday. The Republican People's Party (CHP) questioned the legitimacy of the result, saying the country's electoral authority had decided to "change the rules in the middle of the game."

The High Electoral Board at first said it would not accept ballots that were missing ballot commission stamps. But it announced a changed of course after voting was underway Sunday, saying it would accept unstamped ballots "unless they are proven to have been brought from outside."

That decision will likely form the basis for any official challenge. Erdal Aksunger of the CHP called for a partial recount of about 37% of the votes. He left the door open to challenging a higher percentage of the ballots.

A supporter of the "yes" brandishes a picture of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Authorities said the decision to accept unstamped ballots was legitimate because it was taken before voting began. "We took this decision before one single vote was counted and registered into the system. 

Therefore it is not right to question the decision," said Supreme Electoral Council President Sadi Guven. "The aim of the decision is to ensure that will of people reflected the ballot box and to avoid mistakes done by election committees."

Official results will be confirmed in about 10 days after any objections have been considered, Guven said.

'Profound changes'
Once confirmed, moves could get underway to implement the 18-article reform package put forward by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
They include:

• Abolishing the post of prime minister and replacing it with a powerful executive president with powers to rule by decree.

• Giving the president the power to appoint a cabinet and some senior judges.

• Curbing the power of parliament to scrutinize legislation.

• Resetting term limits for president, meaning Erdogan could serve until 2029 if he wins elections in 2019 and 2024.

Ahmet Kasim Han, an associate professor at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, said the result would "profoundly change the way the country is governed."

Critics of the proposals say they give overly broad powers to the president, Han said. Supporters of the "Yes" result argue the changes are justified given the "existential threat" on the country's southern borders with Iraq and Syria, along with last summer's attempted coup, he added.

Reference by BBC News and CNN News.