The Outcome and Implications of the Turkish Referendum
18 Apr 2017
On 16 April 2017, Turkish nationals voted in a highly contentious constitutional referendum aimed at changing the country’s political system from that of a parliamentary democracy to an executive presidency, expanding the power of incumbent President Erdogan. Prior to this date, Turkish nationals living abroad had already voted. President Erdogan declared victory for the “Yes” vote late on 16 April. Published results have indicated that “Yes” won with around 51.4 per cent of the votes, with a nationwide turnout of 85 per cent.
Key Points
On 16 April 2017, Turkish nationals voted in a highly contentious constitutional referendum aimed at changing the country’s political system from that of a parliamentary democracy to an executive presidency, expanding the power of incumbent President Erdogan. Prior to this date, Turkish nationals living abroad had already voted. President Erdogan declared victory for the “Yes” vote late on 16 April. Published results have indicated that “Yes” won with around 51.4 per cent of the votes, with a nationwide turnout of 85 per cent.