Turkey confirms constitutional referendum on April 16

ISTANBUL: Turkey’s Supreme Election Board (YSK) has officially announced Saturday that a referendum on constitutional changes will be hold on April 16, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
The YSK head, Sadi Guven, confirmed in a televised speech that the date was fixed after the law was published on the Official Gazette.
The changes in the constitutional framework will expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who signed the contentious law a day earlier, clearing the way for public vote and which will bring drastic changes to the country’s political system, including a shift to an executive presidential system from the current parliamentary system, clearing the way for a referendum.
Guven said two colors — white and brown — would be used in ballot papers representing “yes” and “no” respectively.
The 18-article new constitution would create an executive presidency for the first time in modern Turkey.
The president will have the power to appoint and fire ministers, while the post of prime minister will be abolished.
The government says the far-reaching changes are needed for more effective leadership, but opponents fear they will drag Turkey into one-man rule.
The president’s approval came eight days after the Parliament sent the amendments for his approval after passing it by more than the 330-vote threshold needed to send it to a referendum for final approval.
The Turkish Parliament sent the constitutional amendments for the president’s approval on Feb. 2, 12 days after it passed the Parliament.
The amendment will bestow strong powers on the president, who will exercise all the authorities of the prime minister and Cabinet and possess the authority to issue decrees, appoint vice presidents and Cabinet members from outside the Parliament and hold the title “head of the state.”
Thus it will enter the constitution as a term for the first time since it was used for Kenan Evren, Turkey’s former coup leader and seventh president, as part of a provisional article in the 1982 Constitution.
The president will also be given the authority to annul Parliament and declare an election, while they will also have the authority to declare a state of emergency, during which they will have the authority to issue decrees without any restriction of jurisdiction.
The duties and authorities of the Parliament will be amended in the amendments, with its authority to supervise ministerial Cabinet and ministers, as well as its authority to assign Cabinet members, being abolished.
Lawmakers will only be able to supervise ministers and the government with written statements, since the motion of interpellation will also be abolished.
The configuration of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors will similarly be altered, with the number of members reduced from 22 to 13.
— with AFP