President Erdoğan casts vote in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan cast his vote on April 16 for the referendum that will decide whether the current parliamentary system should be shifted into an executive presidency.

Erdoğan voted in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district at around 11:40 a.m. 

His supporters gathered in front of the polling station Erdoğan voted at and chanted slogans in support of him, prompting Erdoğan to go and chat with the group. 

Snipers were on duty in nearby rooftops as a part of security measures. 

“This referendum is not an ordinary voting. We had plenty of elections aimed at the parliamentary system in the history of the Republic. We had some referendums, but this one is to decide whether to change the governance system. I believe that our people will decide for a faster development and even a leap forward. I believe that my people will walk toward the future by making their decision,” Erdoğan told journalists, adding that he will follow the results in Istanbul. 

“It seems like there will be a serious participation,” he said.