Turkish PM Yıldırım criticizes ‘yes’ campaign on social media for referendum

ANKARA

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has criticized a social media campaign regarding the votes on the upcoming charter change referendum. 

Celebrities, athletes and TV figures have waded into the debate on charter amendments that will usher in a powerful presidency, turning to social media to publicly announce whether they are for or against the major changes to the country’s political system.

Listening to the opinions of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) members in Central Executive Board (MYK) and Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK) meetings, Yıldırım criticized the “For a strong Turkey, I am in for ‘yes,’” campaign.

During the meetings, the party members criticized the fact that rectors, district heads and public administrators participated in the campaign. 

“What they do is meddlesome. They shouldn’t make this issue an object of media,” Yıldırım said late on Feb. 3, as he warned the politicians to stay away from polarizing attittudes. 

“This campaign isn’t very well,” he added.

Saying that a campaign hasn’t been launched yet, Yıldırım noted that “the AKP didn’t come to where it is today via these methods.” 

“If you are already going to say no, what’s the point of tabloidizing it by openly stating your view? We are not going to tabloidize, we will tell the charter changes to the people. Sportspersons, artists are okay, however the party members, district heads  and rectors are tabloidizing this,” he also said. 

Yıldırım said that a “plain language will be used in the campaign.” 

“We will use a plain language, but not an aggressive one. You should be careful when takşng about these changes. Present a moderate attitude rather than a polarizing one,” he added. 

On Jan. 21, Turkey’s parliament approved a constitutional amendment package that will bring drastic changes to Turkey’s political system.

The 18-article package, which shifts governance from the current parliamentary system to an executive presidential system, will be put to a referendum on April in accordance with the date selected by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan approves the amendments.