Turkish parliament paves way for people to pick president

For the second time, Turkey’s parliament has approved a package of constitutional reforms that would allow the public to choose the country’s president. Currently, deputies decide who should be given the post. With its candidate failing to get parliamentary backing, the ruling AP Party pushed for a direct appeal to voters.

It acted amid political turmoil in Turkey, with mass rallies defending the country’s secular tradition. Earlier this month, the reforms were vetoed by current president Ahmet Necdet Sezer. He cannot do this twice. Now he must either approve them or submit them to a referendum.

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