Turkey referendum: The numbers that tell the story

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Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech at the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters in Istanbul, on April 16, 2017, after the results of a nationwide referendum that will determine Turkey's future destiny.Image source, Getty Images

Turkey has finished counting the votes in a crucial referendum - one which grants sweeping new powers to its controversial President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Although opponents have questioned the result, the head of the country's electoral body says it is valid.

Here's what the numbers say about the vote.

The result

The overall result is a narrow victory for Mr Erdogan - one small enough to be disputed by his opponents. But turnout for the divisive vote was high - 85%.

And while a 51% victory may not seem like much, Turkey's large population means the Yes vote's margin is actually 1,124,091 votes.

Turnout was also very high - reported at 85% by the country's Anadolu news agency.

Opponents have been questioning the inclusion of more than one million unstamped ballot papers as valid - and await the verdict of international observers.

The foreign vote

During the campaign, much was made of the impact Turks living abroad, especially in Germany, might have on this crucial vote - particularly after a diplomatic spat erupted over campaigning on foreign soil.

In the end, though, just under 50% of the estimated 1.4 million Turks who could vote from Germany did so - and those who did were firmly in favour of granting Mr Erdogan his new powers.

Several other countries also voted Yes, including:

  • The Netherlands (70.94%)
  • Austria (73.23%)
  • Belgium (74.98%)
  • France (64.85%)

Most countries which returned a No vote had a relatively small number of voters - though Switzerland's 50,374 Turks firmly voted against (61.92%).

The president of Germany's Turkish community expressed concern about the level of support for the Yes vote, saying they had to "find ways of better reaching people who live in freedom in Germany and yet want autocracy for people in Turkey."

The major cities

Image source, Getty / EPA

The vote may have been close, but the districts containing the country's three largest cities all voted against the president.

In Istanbul, the largest city, and the capital, Ankara, the vote was very close. But in Izmir, the third-largest city, the margin was a much higher 68.8% No.

But those results could not overpower Mr Erdogan's central Anatolian heartland. Many regions of the country's interior voted Yes, with the share often topping 70% in favour.

Along the Aegean and in southeast Anatolia - which is home to many Kurds - most districts voted the other way, with up to 70% voting No.

As the count progressed, Mr Erdogan's lead narrowed, but he retained enough - if only by a small percentage - to declare victory.

Read more about Turkey's referendum: