Opposition parties have turned a simple referendum into a national vote of confidence. It is as if we are deciding on a new government, not constitutional amendments.

The biennial Flower Carpet, a major Brussels tourist attraction, will adorn the Grand Place from Thursday through Sunday. A total of 120 florists, all volunteers, positioned 650,000 begonias, following a pattern created by Belgian designer Marc Schautteet, to make up the carpet.

I have mentioned the political shift within the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD) before. For a long time TÜSİAD has been in contact with the bureaucratic elite based in the military in Ankara; however, it uses balanced language in its statements to the media.

The constitutional reform package that will be submitted to a public referendum next month should interest Kurdish politicians most of all.

What would be the result of the upcoming referendum if political parties had let their supporters make up their own minds on how to vote? I think the answer to this question is not hard to find.

According to a survey carried out by SONAR last week, the percentage of“yes” votes in the upcoming referendum will be 51 percent, while the “no” votes will be around 49 percent.