Turkey: Main Opposition Party Formally Requests Annulment of Referendum Results
Situation Reports
April 18, 2017 | 13:41 GMT Print
Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has filed a formal request to annul the results of April 16 referendum on constitutional change, AP reported April 18. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a hairline victory in the vote. The constitutional amendments will greatly empower the presidency. The opposition and international observers have called the vote's legitimacy into question. The European Commission also called on April 18 for Turkey to investigate election irregularities. The referendum has shown just how deeply polarized the Turkish electorate has become: Erdogan has eked out a victory despite losing the three largest cities in the vote — Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. The AKP's razor-thin lead is a big reason why Erdogan feels compelled to resort to extraordinary measures to consolidate power.
More:Turkey: Main Opposition Party Formally Requests Annulment of Referendum Results | Stratfor
