REFERENDUM ON ENHANCING ERDOGAN'S POWERS

Turkey opposition protests, Trump congratulates

ISTANBUL: Turkey's opposition on Tuesday pressed its allegations of foul play in the referendum on enhancing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers, as Donald Trump congratulated his counterpart but the European Union kept its distance, reports AFP.The 'Yes' camp won Sunday's poll with 51.41 percent of the vote but the aftermath has been shadowed by opposition claims of blatant vote rigging and angry protests in parts of Istanbul.
The European Union, worried also by threats from Erdogan to restore capital punishment, has been far from effusive in its response, yet Trump late Monday congratulated Erdogan in a phone call.
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy leader Bulent Tezcan was due to formally request the annulment of the polls with the Supreme Election Board (YSK) at 1130 GMT, the party said in a statement.The changes, most of which are due to come into force after November 2019, are some of the most far-reaching in the country since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk established the modern state in the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in 1923.
The opposition has been particularly incensed by a last minute move from the Supreme Election Board to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp. In an interview with the Hurriyet daily, CHP chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu said that the YSK has "changed the rules of the game during the match".
"This is not something to be forgiven," he said.Another CHP deputy leader, Erdal Aksunger, said there were violations at some 10,900 schools used as polling stations. "This has now reached another dimension," he said.International observers on Monday echoed some of the concerns of the opposition, enraging Erdogan.

 

REFERENDUM ON ENHANCING ERDOGANS POWERS

Turkey opposition protests, Trump congratulates

ISTANBUL: Turkeys opposition on Tuesday pressed its allegations of foul play in the referendum on enhancing President Recep Tayyip Erdogans powers, as Donald Trump congratulated his counterpart but the European Union kept its distance, reports AFP.The Yes camp won Sundays poll with 51.41 percent of the vote but the aftermath has been shadowed by opposition claims of blatant vote rigging and angry protests in parts of Istanbul. The European Union, worried also by threats from Erdogan to restore capital punishment, has been far from effusive in its response, yet Trump late Monday congratulated Erdogan in a phone call. The main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) deputy leader Bulent Tezcan was due to formally request the annulment of the polls with the Supreme Election Board (YSK) at 1130 GMT, the party said in a statement.The changes, most of which are due to come into force after November 2019, are some of the most far-reaching in the country since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk established the modern state in the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in 1923. The opposition has been particularly incensed by a last minute move from the Supreme Election Board to accept ballot documents in envelopes without an official stamp. In an interview with the Hurriyet daily, CHP chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu said that the YSK has changed the rules of the game during the match. This is not something to be forgiven, he said.Another CHP deputy leader, Erdal Aksunger, said there were violations at some 10,900 schools used as polling stations. This has now reached another dimension, he said.International observers on Monday echoed some of the concerns of the opposition, enraging Erdogan.