Erdogan floats referendum on headscarf, 'family institution'
The Turkish president has said public could be canvassed on changes to protect what he called family values and the rights of women who wear headscarves.
ISTANBUL — Turkish voters could be asked to vote on constitutional changes that would embody anti-LGBTQ clauses in the name of protecting the family after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday the amendment may be put to a referendum.
Addressing the parliamentary group of his Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan said talks on the reforms with the party’s nationalist allies would be completed Wednesday and presented to parliament.
“We want the constitutional amendment proposal to be implemented with a broad consensus,” he said, referring to the parliamentary vote. “If this agreement is not reached, we … are ready to take other steps, including the referendum. We were not afraid of the arbitration of our nation. If there is no necessary majority in the parliament, our nation will have the last word.”
The proposal for constitutional changes began as a reform to protect Muslim women’s right to wear headscarves. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who heads the Republican People’s Party (CHP), suggested a new law to enshrine the right last month as the opposition reached out to devout Turks ahead of next year’s elections.
