Turkish citizens in Britain begin voting in referendum

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - Turks living in the U.K. started Thursday to vote in Turkey’s constitutional referendum.

The voting by registered overseas citizens started Thursday morning at polling stations in London and Edinburgh.

Turkish citizens who are registered to vote can cast their ballot at any foreign polling station as long as they prove their identity with a photographic ID which shows a Turkish ID number.

Turkey’s Consul General in London, Cinar Ergin, told Anadolu Agency voting was continuing with no problems so far and Turkish expatriates had showed great interest in the referendum, which will be held in Turkey itself on April 16.

Ergin said there were more than 90,000 registered Turkish voters in the U.K.

“There are between 4,500 and 5,000 more registered voters in comparison to previous elections,” Ergin said.

The polls at Hammersmith’s Novotel Conference Center and Edinburgh Consulate’s work office will remain open between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time until Sunday, 9 April.

Approximately 2.9 million Turkish expatriates will vote on proposed constitutional changes. This referendum will be their fourth trip to the polls since expatriates were permitted to vote in Turkish elections while overseas.

According to the proposals, the country’s governing system would be replaced with an executive presidency.

The other major changes include lowering the age to become a lawmaker to 18 from 25, increasing the number of seats in parliament from 550 to 600, closing down military courts, and same-day parliamentary and presidential elections every five years.

A Turkish president would also be allowed to retain ties to his or her political party.