Erdoğan closes in on referendum victory with 96% of ballots counted

Erdoğan closes in on referendum victory with 96% of ballots counted

The constitutional referendum in Turkey appears to have ended in favour of change. With 96% of the ballots counted, the ‘Yes’ votes made up 51.5%, according to the state-run news agency Anadolu. This would mean a replacement of the parliamentary system with an executive presidency. The constitutional changes could also keep President Erdoğan in office until 2029.The opposition criticised the High Electoral Board’s decision to accept unstamped ballots. The Republican Peoples Party also claimed ‘many illegal acts’ were carried out in favour for ‘Yes’. Apr 16, 2017