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Turkey's ruling party is passing constitutional reforms to consolidate power:
Turkey's parliament approved the first seven articles in a second round of voting overnight on a constitutional bill that will extend President Tayyip Erdogan's powers, keeping the reform on course for a spring referendum.
The two largest opposition parties in parliament say the 18-article bill, which could enable Erdogan to rule until 2029, will fuel authoritarianism in the NATO member and European Union candidate country. The ruling AK Party, backed by the nationalist MHP, says it will bring the strong executive leadership needed to prevent a return to the fragile coalition governments of the past.
The seven articles approved overnight include increasing the number of MPs to 600 from 550, lowering the minimum age to be a lawmaker to 18 from 25, and holding parliamentary and presidential elections together every five years.
Also at CNN, Time, Al Jazeera, and The Guardian. You might also be interested in this take from the Daily Sabah.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Thursday January 19 2017, @10:32PM
How far can they possibly get with that? The Civil War established that states don't have the right to secede. It would be a purely symbolic effort.
(Score: 2) by edIII on Thursday January 19 2017, @10:42PM
Depends on the number of people that vote for it. If it actually went through, then yeah legally the most likely outcome is state legislators informing us that it can't be done.
That being said, the real power is simply in that many people voted to leave. I think that would get people's attention, or at least a chance of it.
Should a majority vote for it and be denied? That's how you foment open revolution where change comes at the barrel of a gun.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.