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BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhuanet) -- In Turkey, citizens are going to the polls in parliamentary elections that could lead to dramatic changes in how the country is governed. The ruling AKP Party, which polls showed leading before the election, says they plan to make changes to the country's constitution should they win a majority.
One of those changes would be to give more executive powers to the presidency, currently held by AKP founder Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The dominant figure in Turkish politics for the past decade, Erdogan has presided over an economic revival, but has also pushed the country in a more socially conservative direction.
All 3 main opposition parties are vehemently opposed to constitutional changes and have hinted at a possible coalition to diminish the power of Erdogan's party. The main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, was expected to get 25 to 28 percent. Voters certainly understand what's at stake in the election.
"I think today's election is one of the most important and crucial elections in Turkish history. We will be voting for a lifestyle. Also poll security is very important for this election," said Cem Oz, a turkish voter.
"Turkey will be voting for its future so in my opinion it's not a choice and I hope it will be the best for Turkey, for the neighboring countries and for the rest of the world," said Ayhan Akdeniz, a Turkish voter.
(Source: CNTV.com)
