President Erdoğan expects ‘yes’ vote of over 52 percent, eyes 60 percent in charter referendum

ANKARA

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he expects a “yes” vote in excess of 52 percent, eyeing a 60 percent victory, in the April 16 referendum on shifting Turkey to an executive presidential system.

“The current situation and the evaluation we have made show that ‘yes’ votes increasing day by day. Our main target is the fact that those ‘yes’ votes are increasing further. I believe that will continue by increasing far beyond 52 percent,” Erdoğan said in a live interview with Hakan Çelik broadcast jointly on CNN Türk and Kanal D on March 23.

He also voiced his expectation that the government-supported “yes” side would win over 60 percent of the vote.

“The government and the president are on duty. There is no heedlessness in governing. [The ruling Justice and Development Party] first took power [in 2002] with 34.5 percent. We then had a period when we emerged as the top party with 49.5 percent of the vote [in November 2015]. Now we say, ‘Let’s crown the ‘yes’ vote with over 60 percent,’” Erdoğan said.