11 February 2017•Update: 11 February 2017
By Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Saturday said the result of the upcoming referendum on constitutional reforms would be important for the future of Turkey.
"We will say 'Yes' on behalf of the nation. We will say 'Yes' for the nation. We will say 'Yes' to which the nation says 'Yes'.
"We are counting the days until we can implement the system of government that is becoming to our nation," he told a meeting with his party's mayors in southern Antalya province.
The premier said that they would crown the republic with a full democracy after the referendum. "The result of the [constitutional] referendum is very important for the future of Turkey."
He also accused the main opposition Republican People’s Party's (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu -- who will vote No in the April 16 referendum -- of using terrorist organizations' rhetoric when talking about the constitutional referendum.
"The main opposition leader almost speaks the language of FETO members, PKK members, and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) members," Yildirim said. "[This is] unworthy. The main opposition is the alternative of the government. Using the method of terrorist organizations would only damage the main opposition party."
Constitutional reform has been discussed since Erdogan was voted president in August 2014.
The 18-article bill was passed by parliament in January, with 339 votes in favor -- nine more than needed to put the proposals to a referendum that will be held on Apr. 16.
The proposals would hand wide-ranging executive powers to the president, such as the power to appoint ministers, and greater control over the judiciary. The post of prime minister will be abolished and the president will be allowed to retain ties to a political party.
The reforms would remove parliament’s power to question ministers or stage a confidence vote in the government. The minimum age for parliamentary candidates would be reduced to 18 and the number of deputies will rise to 600.
Simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections for a five-year term would be held in November 2019 under the new constitution.
