Turkish barber designs special haircut for upcoming referendum on executive presidency

ANKARA

A barber in Ankara has designed an exclusive haircut to express his support for the adoption of an executive presidential system in a referendum following parliament’s adoption of a package that will bring drastic changes to Turkey’s political system.

Münür Önkan, who has been working as a barber for 34 years, shaved the back of his apprentice’s head with the words “Devlet için Evet,” meaning “Yes for the state” in Turkish.

According to Önkan, locals were interested in the haircut style and wanted to take pictures of the model.

It is not Önkan’s first attempt to create interesting hairstyles.

Last year, he had shaved the phrase “foil the plot” and the Nationalist Movement Party’s (MHP) distinctive three-crescent symbol into his apprentice’s hair.

The haircut also impressed MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, who had invited the boy to the speaker’s platform in parliament to show his haircut to everyone in the room.

Parliament approved the amendments with 339 votes early on Jan. 21, exceeding the 330-vote threshold necessary to bring the motion to a referendum.