Turkey issues referendum broadcast ban

By Yildiz Aktas

ANKARA

A referendum broadcast ban will enter into force at midnight Friday in Turkey as the country heads to polls on Sunday.

According to the ban imposed by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) and announced by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK), media organizations will not be allowed to broadcast any political advertising, predictions or comments about the referendum from 12 a.m. local time (2100GMT) until a yet-to-be-announced time on Sunday.

Sunday’s referendum in Turkey addresses a host of constitutional reforms that would hand wide-ranging executive powers to the president.

The post of prime minister would be abolished and the president would also be allowed to retain ties to a political party.

Other changes include the minimum age of parliamentary candidates reduced to 18 and the number of deputies increased to 600.

Also, simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections for a five-year term would be held in November 2019 under the new Constitution.