TURKISH PRESIDENT TO BE ELECTED BY POPULAR VOTE

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.10.2007 13:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ With 69.4% of votes ‘for’ and 30.5% ‘against’,
Turks have backed the constitutional reforms. The appearance made
64.8%, AFP reported quoting the Turkish Supreme Election Committee.

The law on "Making Amendments in Some Articles of the Republic of
Turkey’s Constitution," envisaging the election of the president
directly by the people instead of Parliament, will give rise to major
changes in the Turkish political system. The law will decrease the
seven-year term of the president to five years and allow a president
to be elected twice, while stipulating the holding of general elections
every four years instead of the current five and decreasing the quorum
required to hold a parliamentary session to 184. This last article
provides a very clear answer to the Constitutional Court’s condition
of a 367-member quorum.

Meanwhile, critics say the reform will complicate the work of state
bodies, Lenta.ru reports.