Over 5,200 Turks living in Azerbaijan can vote in referendum

By  Trend

Turkish nationals in Azerbaijan will complete voting in the referendum to make amendments to Turkey’s Constitution until April 9, Ambassador Erkan Ozoral told reporters in Baku on February  22.

Ozoral said there are more than 5,200 Turkish nationals in Azerbaijan who have the right to vote.

The referendum to make amendments to the Turkish Constitution will be held on April 16, head of Turkey’s Supreme Election Council, Sadi Guven said earlier.

The proposals aim to hand wide-ranging executive powers to the president and abolish the post of prime minister. The president would also be allowed to retain ties to a political party.

The bill of constitutional changes was passed by parliament in January, with 339 votes in favor -- nine more than needed to put the proposals to a referendum.

The reforms would remove parliament’s power to question ministers or to stage a vote of confidence on the government. The minimum age for parliamentary candidates would be reduced to 18 and the number of deputies will rise to 600.

Simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections for a five-year term would be held in November 2019 under the new constitution.