Turkish premier promotes presidential system at German event

Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim speaks to Turks living in Germany to promote a planned referendum in Turkey this year, in Oberhausen, Germany, Saturday Feb. 18, 2017, (Roland Weihrauch/dpa via AP) (The Associated Press)

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Supporters wait for a speech of Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to promote a planned referendum in Turkey this year, in Oberhausen, Germany, Saturday Feb. 18, 2017. (Roland Weihrauch/dpa via AP) (The Associated Press)

MUNICH – Turkey's prime minister has promoted a switch to a presidential system in his country at an event in Germany attended by about 10,000 people.

Turkey is set to hold a referendum April 16 on changing to the new system, and about 1.4 million Turks in Germany will be eligible to vote. Critics fear the switch would put too much power in the hands of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim dismissed criticism at Saturday's event in Oberhausen, news agency dpa reported.

He said: "They say that a one-man system is coming. Are there two chancellors in Germany? In a presidential system, of course there is only one president. There can't be two captains on one ship."

Yildirim's appearance in Germany was criticized by several German politicians.