Merkel urges 'respectful dialogue' in Turkey after referendum

Earlier, Tezcan said any decision that changes Turkey's political system to such a vast extent should have been passed with an overwhelming endorsement.

Turks living overseas have played a major part in the success of the referendum, which will pave the way for one of the most important reforms in the country's history, Erdogan said.

The vote introduces a raft of constitutional changes that mean Turkey's parliamentary democracy can be replaced with an executive presidency.

Members of the Nationalist Movement Party who didn't support the Yes vote say they had campaign venues cancelled and in some towns and villages the AK party put pressure on local officials like mayors to push the yes vote.

"The Turkish people have gone to the polls with a great dignity and decided on shifting to the presidential system of their own free will". "That is why it is very significant".

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on Monday commending a tight win in a choice giving him clearing new powers that uncovered intense divisions in Turkey and left enraged adversaries requesting a noteworthy describe.

The deputy head of Turkey's main secularist opposition called today for the annulment of a referendum on boosting the powers of the president and said it would take its challenge to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

Though the observer mission said the voting proceeded in a largely orderly fashion on Sunday, it criticised a last-minute controversial decision by the country's election board to count unstamped ballots as being against the law and lifting an "important safeguard" against fraud.

More than 55 million people in the country were registered to vote, while another 1.3 million Turks cast ballots overseas.

Both the CHP and the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) has vowed to contest substantial chunks of the vote with the YSK.

Under the changes, after the next elections due in 2019, the Prime Minister and Cabinet will be abolished and Ministers will be directly appointed by the President and accountable to him.

Voters narrowly approved on Sunday a raft of constitutional amendments that will grant sweeping new powers to Erdoğan, arguably one of the most significant developments in the republic's history since its founding after the collapse of the Ottoman empire. Parliament's oral questioning duty and authority to acquire information from the executive body will be lifted with the amendments. They set a limit of two five-year terms for presidents.

"All articles of the constitutional change will not go in effect soon".

The number of lawmakers at the parliament will be increased from 550 to 660 and the minimum age to be elected will be reduced to 18 from 25.