“Yes” vote narrowly wins Turkish referendum, Erdogan claims victory

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory in Turkey’s constitutional referendum, ushering in a new political system.

With nearly all of the ballots counted, the “Yes” vote led with 51.3% of the vote. Turkey’s three largest cities, Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara, voted against the proposed amendment, as did Turkey’s Kurdish southeast.

Should the results be maintained after opposition claims of fraud, Turkey will create a more powerful executive presidency, something opponents say will put the country on a path to autocracy.

The referendum results would see Erdogan able to stay in power until 2029.

(Image: The Independent)