国际英语新闻：Turkey's constitutional reforms pass referendum test

"This referendum is not a vote on constitutional changes. It has become a confidence vote for the ruling party," said Tarhan Erdem, an expert on elections, in an interview with NTV News Channel on Sunday.

Ibrahim Kalin, senior adviser to the prime minister, said the government does not intend this to be a confidence vote but it did turn into a confidence vote for the AKP and the prime minister.

"It was a long and hard-fought process but most people said yes to the reforms," he told reporters at the press center for the referendum. "That paved the way for a new constitution, from now till next general elections, the debate will be about the new constitution."

He said the AKP has compromised on the amendments to close the widening gap between the "yes" camp and the "no" camp and that the country will see a broader consensus over a new constitution.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul casts his ballot at a polling station in Ankara on Sept. 12, 2010 during a referendum on constitutional changes

Unofficial tallies of 99.71 percent of all the ballot boxes showed 58.02 percent of votes were for the reforms, while 41.98 percent were against them, according to data provided by the Turkish Cihan news agency and released by the Directorate General of Press and Information.

Columnist Sedat Ergin for the Hurriyet newspaper, told cnnTurk Channel he had expected a yes vote in a close match.

"There is a divided Turkey now. The amendments should have been made in conciliation," he said.

Among the most heavily-debated amendment proposals are those to require the permission of a parliamentary commission for closure of political parties, allow civilian court trial of military personnel in certain crimes and overhaul the judiciary.

The article that would make it harder to close political parties was rejected during parliament voting, while the Constitutional Court has annulled some key articles that would curb the power of the judiciary and the military.

Erdogan hailed the package's planned changes to the High Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), which is in charge of appointing magistrates.

"From now on, it's not the justice of superiors but the superiority of justice," he said.