Turkish voters in Germany, as deeply split as those in their ancestral homeland, started casting early ballots on Monday in a referendum that could vastly boost President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers. Hundreds of expatriates lined up at consulates in Germany, which has 1.4 million eligible Turkish voters, and in five other European countries ahead of the controversial April 16th plebiscite. "We hope that the 'no' vote will prevail," he said, adding that the referendum is only "in the interest of one man. Turkish voters in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France and Switzerland can also cast their ballots for the next two weeks, until April 9th. She said she regretted that Turks and Germans "who have lived together for 60 years in Germany - neighbours, friends, work colleagues - are arguing today".

Source: The Local March 28, 2017 07:07 UTC