Turkey Parliament Triggers Referendum on Presidential System
- President one step away from concentrating power in his office
- Erdogan wins backing of nationalist MHP in wake of failed coup
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s campaign to secure sweeping executive authority won parliament’s approval early Saturday. Turks will have the final say in a referendum that could be held in early April.
The parliament voted 339-142 to make the president the head of the executive and abolish the job of prime minister, triggering a referendum on the proposal and putting Erdogan one step away from building a power center unrivaled since the days of parliamentary founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. In Turkey’s system, amendments to the constitution need to be approved by 367 of 550 members to become law. Proposals that receive between 330 and 367 votes can be referred to a plebescite.