Erdogan Can Celebrate the Turkish Referendum—For Now admin, April 20, 2017May 20, 2024 Declaring victory in the recent plebiscite granting him extraordinary powers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan consolidated his authoritarian rule. A new constitutional amendment abolishes the country’s parliamentary system and gives the once-weak executive almost unlimited authority. It passed in the midst of a state of emergency imposed after last year’s coup attempt. [This item’s no longer available] Human Rights The Progressive Turkey not audio