Turkey split as referendum looms
Critics warn vote to change political system will cement Erdogan’s hold on power
ISTANBUL— On the last day before Turkey’s referendum on whether to expand the president’s power and opinion polls indicating a tight race, both “yes” and “no” campaigners addressed flag-waving supporters in Istanbul and Ankara.
At stake is the future of Turkey’s political system, with supporters saying the constitutional changes will herald a period of stability and prosperity, while detractors warn the reforms could lead to autocratic oneman rule by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan has long championed the idea of changing Turkey’s system of government from parliamentary to presidential. He is calling on his compatriots to vote Sunday to approve 18 constitutional changes that would, among other things, abolish the office of the prime minister, handing all executive power to the president.
“The new constitution will bring stability and trust that is needed for our county to develop and grow,” Erdogan told supporters in Istanbul’s Tuzla district on Saturday. He also appealed to voters of other parties to approve the changes so “Turkey can leap into the future.”
“Is it a ‘yes’ for one nation? Is it a ‘yes’ for one flag? Is it a ‘yes’ for one homeland? Is it a ‘yes’ for one state? Yes, yes, yes!” he said.
Erdogan said the proposed reforms could help counter a series of threats, including a failed military coup last year and a string of deadly bombings, some attributed to Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL. Fighting also resumed in 2015 between security forces and Kurdish rebels.
Critics argue that Erdogan, who has led the Turkish government as prime minister or president since 2003, will simply cement his hold on power with even fewer checks and balances if the “yes” side wins.
“Turkey is at a junction. We will make our decision tomorrow. Do we want a democratic parliamentary system or do we want a one-man regime?” Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, asked supporters in the capital, Ankara.
In Istanbul on Saturday, thousands of “no” supporters waving Turkish flags marched along the Bosphorus.
The opposition has complained of a lopsided campaign, with Erdogan using the full resources of the state and the governing party to dominate the airwaves and blanket the country with “yes” campaign posters. “No” campaigners say they have recorded more than 100 incidents of intimidation, beatings and arbitrary detentions.
The referendum comes as Turkey is still under a state of emergency declared after last year’s failed coup. Since then, about 100,000 people have lost their jobs and another 40,000 have been arrested.
Security will be high for Sunday’s vote, with nearly 34,000 police deployed in Istanbul alone. Daesh has called for attacks in Turkey against the referendum.