What is it about?
The Turkish referendum has exposed the fault lines of the Turkish polity pitching the ruling Islamist AKP and its new-found ally MHP against the Kemalist CHP and pro-Kurdish HDP. The sharp divisions in the run up to the referendum was reflected in the results that registered a narrow victory margin for the “Yes” vote. The victory effectively means that Turkey would be shifting to a presidential form of government from 2019. It is not just the transition from one form to another but the way in which the process has been pursued and the overwhelming powers the amendment enjoins in one man that has alarmed many leading observers who fear Turkey sliding to autocracy.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Explains the April 2017 referendum on constitutional amendment in Turkey.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Turkish Referendum, 2017, Contemporary Review of the Middle East, August 2017, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/2347798917711076.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
