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Riz Khan
Turkey's constitutional reform
With the nation preparing to vote on constitutional reform, polls show people are divided on the way forward.
Last Modified: 08 Sep 2010 12:06 GMT

Is Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, and the ruling AK party pushing the country towards democracy or strengthening a civilian dictatorship?

As Turkey prepares to vote on amendments to its controversial 1982 constitution, the country seems starkly divided.

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The referendum is scheduled to take place on the 30th anniversary of Turkey's 1980 military coup.

Erdogan says it will curb the army's power, enhance democracy and move the country closer to membership of the European Union.

But Turkey's main opposition party argues the referendum is another attempt by the AK party to gain control over the secular judiciary and push its Islamist agenda.

On Tuesday's Riz Khan, we speak with MP Cuneyt Yuksel of the AK party, and Ömer Taspinar, the director of the Turkey Project at the Brookings Institution.

This episode of Riz Khan aired from Tuesday, September 7, 2010.
Source:
Al Jazeera
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