Turkey refutes coup legacy, says ‘yes' to democratic transformation

The public vote on the package was seen as a test for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government, which has pushed political and economic reforms since coming to power in 2002. The government believes amendment of the military-era constitution is a key step in Turkey's path to full democracy.

The “no front” secured 41,97 percent of the national vote. The results had not been confirmed by any official body yet. The Higher Election Board (YSK) usually declares the results of an election or a referendum several hours after the voting stations are closed, while news agencies are faster.

Voters flocked to polling stations early in the day to vote for, or against, the constitutional changes, which sought to make vital amendments to the 1982 Constitution, which was ratified in a referendum after a military coup two years earlier. The vote was seen more as a test of confidence for the AK Party, which has won the past three elections -- two parliamentary elections and a municipal election.

The constitutional amendment package includes 26 articles. The package will make the military more accountable to civilian courts as well as re-structure the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK). Opponents say proposed changes to the make-up of the court and the board raised concerns over the future independence of the judiciary. Most observers, however, believe restructuring the Constitutional Court and the HSYK will raise judicial standards in Turkey to European norms.

Erdoğan said the changes to the coup Constitution are needed to strengthen democracy and bring Turkey closer to European norms.

“Turkish democracy is at a turning point today, we are sitting an important test,” he said after voting in the Üsküdar district of İstanbul. He also said the referendum was critical to the future of democracy and freedoms in the country.

The referendum had symbolic aspects for many voters, as it coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Sept. 12, 1980, military coup. For most, the referendum offered an opportunity for victims of the coup to settle accounts with the coup's instigators. Dozens of people were killed and hundreds were tortured after the putsch.

AK Party Deputy Chairman Salih Kapusuz said he considered the referendum results “positive.” For him, the nation displayed its free will and flocked to the ballot box despite counter campaigns from the reform's opposition. “It is significant that we obtained such a result despite a vast counter propaganda against the constitutional amendment package and despite the fact that reform opponents attempted to draw the issue from its track,” he noted.

Street clashes marred voting at some polling stations in provinces with large Kurdish populations. Dozens of people were detained in connection with the incidents. Apart from these, the referendum was held in a peaceful atmosphere nationwide. In some eastern and southeastern provinces, people defied a call by the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) to boycott the ballot and cast their votes. In some others, however, the participation rate was rather low. The BDP argues that the proposed changes in the package will not advance the rights of the ethic minority.

Parliamentary Justice Commission President Ahmet İyimaya praised eastern and southeastern voters for casting a vote in the referendum despite calls for a boycott. “Our citizens flocked to the ballot box despite threats. The nation has made its decision. I hope the results will be most beneficial to our people,” he stated.

In Ankara, President Abdullah Gül appealed for harmony in a country that, if divided in some respects, was fiercely united on one front this weekend. In an İstanbul arena Sunday night, Turkey faced the United States in the final of the world basketball championships.

“From tomorrow onwards, Turkey needs to unite as one, and look ahead. Turkey should focus all its energy on the issues its people are facing and the future of the country,” the president said after voting. “The public has the final say in democracies. I would like to remind everyone to welcome the result with respect and maturity.”

Voting stations closed at 4 p.m. in eastern Turkey, and at 5 p.m. elsewhere in the country. About 50 million people, or two-thirds of the population, were eligible to vote.

The AK Party government says the amendments are consistent with EU requirements for membership. If approved, the constitutional amendments would serve to make the military more accountable to civilian courts, allow civil servants to go on a strike and remove immunity from prosecution for the engineers of the 1980 coup. Kenan Evren, the military chief who seized power and became president, is 93 years old and ailing.

The referendum vote also came as support for Erdoğan's pledge to completely change the Constitution after the parliamentary elections in July 2011. The AK Party produced a draft constitution to replace the current one after the 2007 general elections, but it was shelved after failing to garner the support of opposition parties. Undeterred, the ruling party prepared a partial list of amendments to the Constitution, and vowed to pass a brand new document after next year's general elections.

Participation rate high

Yesterday's vote showed that the referendum was popular among Turkey's voters, with a participation rate of 77,53 percent. The figure is higher when compared with the 2007 referendum on presidential election system. Slightly over than 67 percent cast a vote in 2007.

The high participation rate is directly related to the encouragement by political party leaders. The leaders traveled through Turkey, and urged their voters to go to the ballot box on referendum day.

Millions of people cut their summer and Eid vacations short, and rushed to their places of residence to cast their votes in the referendum. This year's Eid al-Fitr began on Thursday and ended on Sept. 11. This year's Eid was followed by a Sunday, but holidaymakers preferred to return to their places of residence for the final day of Eid, instead of spending the next day relaxing, so that they could vote on Sept. 12.

Thousands of pilgrims who were in Saudi Arabia on Umrah returned to Turkey by Sunday, and rushed to the ballot box to vote. Tourism agencies announced last week that there were 80,000 Turkish pilgrims in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. At least 3,000 of them risked not being able to vote in the referendum due to a shortage in the number of flights to Turkey. The Turkish Airlines (THY) increased flights from Saudi Arabia to Turkey and carried most voters to Turkey.

Among cities with highest “yes” votes were Ağrı, Batman, Bingök, Konya, Düzce, Kütahya and Malatya. On the other hand, the “no front” was victorious in some cities, including Kırklareli, Adana, Antalya, Mersin, Muğla and Aydın. A crushing percentage of voters boycotted the ballot box in eastern Hakkari.