Turkey's parliament approves key articles of constitutional reform

Turkey's parliament has approved key measures allowing the President to be a member of a political party and issue decrees, part of a constitutional reform the opposition said will fuel authoritarianism.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), backed by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), is pushing through legislation that President Tayyip Erdogan said will bring strong executive leadership needed to prevent a return to the fragile coalition governments of the past.

The three articles approved overnight set out parliament's supervisory role, enable the President to retain ties with a political party and detail the President's executive powers as head of state, including the power to issue decrees.

These will have to be approved at two more readings before the package of amendments is submitted to a referendum, which is expected in the spring.

The main opposition CHP and the pro-Kurdish HDP, the second largest opposition party, strongly oppose the changes.

The previous night, lawmakers from the AKP and CHP came to blows as tempers boiled over in debate on the Bill, after which a AKP deputy warned elections would be held if it was not passed.

Erdogan himself floated the possibility of early elections on Friday, saying they were not desirable but "not unthinkable" if parliament became unable to do its job.

The 18-article Bill needs the support of at least 330 deputies in the 550-seat assembly to go to a referendum. The AKP has 316 deputies eligible to vote and the MHP 39.

The articles passed overnight with the support of 340-343 lawmakers.