Will a presidential referendum save Turkey's democracy?
A package of constitutional amendments that would dramatically expand the powers of Turkey’s president won the support of 339 deputies in the 550-member parliament Jan. 21, surpassing the 60% threshold (330 votes) required to submit the draft to a vote by citizens
History has shown time and again that constitutional change driven by powerful people inevitably steal power from the people
More often than not, powerful presidents are the bane of democracy. No matter what the basic structure may be, when the president is given too much power, the loser turns out to be the whole country. Turkey needs to revamp its constitution to limit the president to one 5-year term and bar any him/her from holding another office for 6 years afterwards. Turkey’s President is currently in violation of Article 6 of the Constitution, which states that sovereignty is wholly and unconditionally owned by all citizens. When the state usurps the sovereignty of the people, the people have the right to resist. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.