Ankara, 17 April (BelTA - Anadolu Agency) - Turkish people on Sunday voted 51.37 percent in favor of changes to the country's constitution.
The reforms will - among other changes - usher in an executive presidency.
As of 11.30 p.m. local time (2030GMT), unofficial results showed Yes won with 51.37 percent - 24,966,843 votes - while No had 48.63 percent, or 23,636,067 votes.
“Final referendum results will be released within 11-12 days,” said Sadi Guven, head of the Central Election Commission (CEC).
Turnout across the country was 85.46 percent.
Sunday's referendum asked voters to decide upon an 18-article reform package.
The constitutional changes have been discussed since Recep Tayyip Erdogan was voted in as president in August 2014. The reform bill was passed by parliament in January this year by 339 votes in favor - nine more than needed to put the proposals to a referendum.
Sunday's reforms will hand wide-ranging executive powers to the president; the post of prime minister will be abolished. The president will also be allowed to retain ties to a political party.
Other changes will see the minimum age for parliamentary candidates reduced to 18 and the number of lawmakers in parliament rise to 600.
Simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections for a five-year term are going to be held in November 2019.
