Turkey: CHP head argues referendum is on 'one-man' rule

By Busra Nur Ozcan and Muharrem Cin

BURSA, Turkey (AA) - Turkey’s main opposition leader on Tuesday said Sunday’s coming referendum was not a general election, but a vote on the country’s system of government.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu told a crowd in Turkey’s northwestern province of Bursa some were presenting Sunday’s vote as a contest between political parties.

“There is no such a thing,” Kilicdaroglu said, adding: “We are voting on the regime, not in an election.”

“Will we defend the democratic parliamentary system or [pick] a one-man regime? We are voting on this,” he added.

Sunday’s referendum addresses a host of constitutional reforms that would hand wide-ranging executive powers to Turkey’s 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 being reduced to 18 and the number of deputies increased to 600.

The Yes campaign is backed by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), while the CHP has campaigned against the changes.