Turkey Referendum Fraud: "Erdogan Uber Alles", as even the law is not sacred anymore in Turkey

Erdogan's Democracy In Action

Less than 24 hours after Erdogan declared "victory", Tana de Zulueta, head of the monitoring mission of the OSCE/ODIHR, offered a harsh analysis on the way the Turkish referendum was conducted.

In a damning statement, she said: "The legal framework for the referendum neither sufficiently provides for impartial coverage nor guarantees eligible political parties equal access to public media."

The ruling party and the president were given preference in the allocation of free airtime, she said. 

The campaign framework was described as "restrictive" and "imbalanced" because of the involvement of Erdogan and other national and local public figures in the "yes" campaign. 

De Zulueta also said that monitors saw 'No' supporters subjected to police intervention at events while also being equated to terrorists by senior officials in the 'Yes' camp, during a fractious campaign period. Monitors also said that the change in ballot validity rules was deemed to have undermined "an important safeguard and contradicting the law." 

The Turkish High Electoral Board at first said it would not accept ballots that were missing ballot commission stamps. But it announced a changed of course after voting was underway Sunday, saying it would accept unstamped ballots "unless they are proven to have been brought from outside." 

Given the fraud and controversy so far surrounding the Turkish referendum,  leaders of member states of the European Union have been cautious about the results of the referendum in Turkey.and no EU leader sent the traditional congratulations message to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his victory so far.

EU-Digest