More than 70,000 Turks in Netherlands vote in referendum

THE HAGUE

AFP photo

Turkish citizens living in the Netherlands are showing “great interest” in participating in Turkey’s referendum, a diplomat has told Anadolu Agency.        

Turkey’s consul-general in Rotterdam, Sadin Ayyıldız, said 72,000 registered expatriates had voted since April 5.        

There are three polling stations in the Netherlands in The Hague, Amsterdam and Deventer. The polls were open until April 9.

Turkey and the Netherlands were involved in a row after the EU member canceled Turkish ministers’ meetings with Turkish citizens in the country as part of campaigns for the upcoming referendum on major charter amendments. 

Ankara was especially angered by the Netherlands, which prevented Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu’s plane from landing before expelling Family Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya from the country.

Dutch police on March 11 used dogs, horses and a water cannon against Turkish protesters in Rotterdam.

Approximately 2.9 million Turkish citizens abroad have been able to vote on the proposed constitutional changes, marking their fourth trip to the polls since Turkish citizens abroad were first able to vote in Turkish elections while overseas. The majority is in Germany, another country that has banned Turkish minister’s campaign rallies. 

Turks living in the United Kingdom started to vote in Turkey’s constitutional referendum on April 6. 

A chief adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has suggested that deputies should be assigned to represent citizens abroad after the April 16 referendum.