The Latest: EU says death penalty would dash EU hopes
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - The Latest on Turkey's referendum on presidential powers (all times local):
2 p.m.
The European Union says that if Turkey moves to reinstate the death penalty it would dash any hope that it could join the bloc.
Supporters of the 'no' vote protest in Istanbul, against the referendum outcome, Monday, April 17, 2017. The placards reads in Turkish: 'No we will win'. Turkey's main opposition party urged the country's electoral board Monday to cancel the results of a landmark referendum that granted sweeping new powers to Erdogan, citing what it called substantial voting irregularities. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said on Tuesday that if Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan moved "from rhetoric to action on the issue of the death penalty (it) would be clear signal that Turkey does not want to be a member of the European family."
He said that the death penalty is more than a red line. "This is the reddest of all red lines."
On Monday, Erdogan renewed suggestions that Turkey could hold referendums on its bid to join the European Union and on reinstating the death penalty.
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1:30 p.m.
The European Union is calling on the Turkish authorities to launch "transparent investigations" into "alleged irregularities" during last weekend's referendum on increased powers for the country's presidency.
International election observers and opposition parties have reported numerous voting irregularities during the vote which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won by a narrow margin.
EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the EU was encouraging "Turkey to move closer to the European Union again, and not to move even further and faster away from us."
Turkey's prime minister on Tuesday called on the opposition to respect the result of a referendum that will give sweeping new powers to the office of the president.
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12 p.m.
Turkey's prime minister has called on the opposition to respect the result of a referendum that will expand the powers of the office of the president.
In an address to legislators from his ruling party on Tuesday, Binali Yildirim said the people had voted to switch from a parliamentary to a presidential system, adding: the "opposition should not speak after the people have spoken."
An unofficial tally carried by the country's state-run news agency gave President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "yes" camp a narrow win.
Opposition parties called for the vote to be annulled because of a series of irregularities, particularly an electoral board decision to accept ballots that didn't bear official stamps, as required by Turkish law.
International monitors said the move undermined safeguards against fraud.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, delivers a speech during a rally of supporters a day after the referendum, outside the Presidential Palace, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, April 17, 2017. Turkey's main opposition party urged the country's electoral board Monday to cancel the results of a landmark referendum that granted sweeping new powers to Erdogan, citing what it called substantial voting irregularities. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
Supporters of pro-'no' vote chant slogans as they protest in Istanbul, against the referendum outcome, early Monday, April 17, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators marched in a central neighbourhood, clanking pots and pans and chanting 'this is just the beginning, the struggle will continue'. (AP Photo/Cansu Alkaya)