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Strong early lead for 'Yes' vote in referendum to give Turkey's president supreme powers Strong early lead for 'Yes' vote in referendum to give Turkey's president supreme powers
(35 minutes later)
Turkey's state-run news agency says that “yes” votes are leading in Turkey's referendum on expanding presidential powers. Turkey's state-run news agency says that “Yes” votes are leading in Turkey's referendum on whether to grant the President sweeping new powers.
The Anadolu Agency says an estimated 60 percent of votes have been tallied and the “yes” side stands at nearly 57 per cent. The Anadolu Agency said an estimated 84 percent of votes have been tallied and the “Yes” side stood at more than 53 per cent.
If the electorate votes “yes”, the role of prime minister would be abolished and executive power would be transferred to Mr Erdogan. Under the proposed changes, the President could in theory hold office until 2029. Yet the "Yes" vote's lead decreased as results from outside President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's heartland of Anatolia were counted.
Data cited by Anadolu showed a high percentage of "Yes" votes in central Anatolia, while "No" votes led in coastal regions near the Aegean Sea and Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast.
If the electorate votes “Yes”, the role of prime minister would be abolished and executive power would be transferred to Mr Erdogan. Under the proposed changes, the President could hold office until 2029.
He would also be able to appoint judges, pass decrees and have greater influence over the civil service.He would also be able to appoint judges, pass decrees and have greater influence over the civil service.
The “Yes” campaign say the proposed changes would streamline Turkey’s political system, and point out the both the US and France have an executive presidency.  The “Yes” campaign say the proposed changes would streamline Turkey’s political system, and point out the both the US and France have an executive presidency.  
However, opponents fear the concentration of the power in the office of the Presidency will hasten the country’s drift towards authoritarianism. But opponents fear the concentration of the power in the office of the Presidency will cause the country to lurch further towards authoritarianism.
More follows... The deputy chairman of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said "illegal acts" were being carried out in favour of the government during the vote.
"Many illegal acts are being carried out in favour of the government right now, but 'No' will win in the end," Erdal Aksunger told reporters at his party headquarters, referring to an election board decision to accept unstamped ballots.
A statement on the High Electoral Board's (YSK) website hours before polls closed said it would count ballots that had not been stamped by its officials as valid unless they could be proved fraudulent, citing a high number of complaints that YSK officials at polling stations had failed to stamp them.