- FPI’s Eric Edelman and Sohrab Ahmari on Turkey’s future
From Clifford D. May, The Washington Times: “More than a quarter-century ago, when he was Istanbul’s young mayor, Mr. Erdogan quipped that democracy was “like a streetcar. When you reach your destination you get off.”
Turkey’s main opposition party is demanding a recount after voting irregularities were reported in Sunday’s referendum, which Mr. Erdogan won by 51.3 percent to 48.7. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party, known by its Turkish acronym H.D.P., said that as many as three million votes, far more than the margin of victory, had lacked an official stamp and should be invalidated. – New York Times
President Trump called to congratulate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday after a referendum greatly expanding his powers, according to Turkish officials, despite a more circumspect State Department response to Sunday’s vote, which international election observers declared unfair. – Washington Post
The result of Turkey’s referendum on Sunday could snuff what was left of that European Union-Turkey courtship, several analysts said on Monday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed a victory that strengthens his already extraordinary, near-authoritarian powers. – New York Times
The referendum, which passed with more than 51 percent of the national vote, will create a powerful presidential office for Erdogan, according to industry and procurement officials. The news powers will allow Erdogan to get more involved with weapons programs. – Defense News
Up to 2.5 million votes could have been manipulated in Sunday's Turkish referendum which ended in a tight 'Yes' vote for greater presidential powers, Alev Korun, an Austrian member of the Council of Europe observer mission, told ORF radio on Tuesday. - Reuters
Editorial: The U.S. will have to work with its NATO ally. But without more evidence the U.S. should resist demands to extradite Fethullah Gülen, the Pennsylvania-based imam Mr. Erdogan accuses of masterminding the summer putsch. Mr. Erdogan has staged his own internal coup by abusing the levers of democracy to create an Islamist authoritarian state. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
Amanda Sloat writes: The Trump administration appeared deferential to Turkish political sensitivities before the referendum, but the Pentagon appears anxious to move and seems unlikely to find alternative troop arrangements sufficient. If the administration proceeds with plans to support a YPG-led assault on Raqqa, it will hope Erdogan’s referendum win softens his undoubtedly negative reaction. – Foreign Policy’s Shadow Government