Turkish parliament approves constitutional reform, expanded powers for Erdogan to go to Referendum

``Turkish lawmakers early on Saturday voted in favor of a set of constitutional amendments designed to substantially increase the power of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The 550-seat parliament approved the new 18-article constitution in a final vote with 339 in favor and 142 against... The measure required at least 330 votes to be approved and be put forward to a referendum, which is planned for as early as April. The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the third largest in parliament, boycotted the vote. Nearly a dozen lawmakers from the party, including its leadership, are imprisoned on terrorism charges  for their alleged ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).''