Banana sultanate: Turkey has gone from banana republic to banana sultanate after voters reportedly gave its president and longtime Napoleon Complex sufferer Recep Tayyip Erdogan broad executive powers under Monday’s referendum to change the constitutional to a presidential kleptocracy from a parliamentary one. And what did they get for their troubles? Why an extension on the state of emergency imposed following last year’s coup attempt. Erdogan won by a slim margin and after using state assets to hound political opponents. US President Donald Trump called the sultan to offer congratulations despite widespread criticism of the vote by international monitors. Erdogan has dismissed the criticism.

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