Turkey may hold referendum on new constitution in early April - deputy PM

A street vendor sells flags with portraits of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during the opening ceremony of Eurasia Tunnel in Istanbul, Turkey, December 20, 2016. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey may hold a referendum in the first week of April on a new constitution which would create an executive presidential system, handing incumbent President Tayyip Erdogan greater powers, Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said on Monday. Parliament's general assembly is due to start debating the proposed constitutional changes later on Monday and work on the package is expected to be completed in 18-20 days, Canikli said in an interview with A Haber television. The reform package is expected to be approved by parliament, in which the ruling AK Party has a strong majority, and would then go to a referendum. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay; Writing by Nick Tattersall)