Turkey Rules Out Referendum Cancellation

Turkey will not cancel the constitutional referendum scheduled for April 16, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş told state-run Anadolu Agency on March 22. Kurtulmuş’s statements followed rumors that the vote would be cancelled.

Noting the results of some pre-referendum polls, where the majority of respondents were in favor of the constitutional changes, Kurtulmuş said,

“In the first weeks, there was a cool stance because voters did not know what the constitution [referendum] will bring. Thankfully, in the field we see that the “yes” side is being fortified every day. As the uncertain masses understand the system and learn the details, they have started to say “yes” very seriously.”

 “No power can be successful in canceling the referendum,” he added.

In less than one month Turkish citizens will head to the polls to decide whether or not a set of 18 amendments to the Constitution of Turkey should pass. The amendments include abolishing the Office of the Prime Minister, giving the president the power to appoint one or more vice presidents, increasing the number of seats in the unicameral Grand Assembly, or parliament, from 550 to 600, and allowing 18 year olds to stand in elections.

The biggest change to come will be to Article 104 of the constitution. The proposed change will essentially turn the country into a presidential republic, whereby the head of state and head of government is one in the same person. In this system, used by the United States for example, the president is the head of all executive agencies and has sole executive authority over the appointment and removal of cabinet ministers.

For the referendum to pass, a simple majority, or 51 percent, is required in what is a direct, “yes” or “no” vote by the people.

In response to critiques of the proposed changes to the constitution, which was last amended in 2010, Kurtulmuş said the president’s “responsibilities” will be increased and not grant him overweening “power."

Opposition to the referendum is led by the center-left CHP, or Republican People's Party, and the pro-Kurdish HDP, or Peoples' Democratic Party, which is accused by some of Turkey’s leaders of having links to terrorism.