1946 Constantinopolitan constitutional referendum (The Sublime Porte)

The 1946 Constantinopolitan constitutional referendum was held in Constantinople on September 15, 1946. Voters were asked to decide whether they approved of the constitution written by the Constituent Assembly, which had been elected in March, with the approval of 50% of the electorate being required for the adoption of the constitution. The text was adopted by 59.1% of eligible voters, with 68.5% of votes cast in favor and a turnout of 86.3%.

Background
The text of the constitution was written by the Constituent Assembly during the previous six months, with the large Turkish, Greek, and Armenian ethnic parties having an important say in the creation of the constitutional draft. As such, the Constitution provided for a bicameral Parliament, composed of the already existing Assembly of Peoples, renamed as the Senate (which would divide seats according to ethnicity), and a Chamber of Deputies (which granted equal representation to all citizens of the city). The makeup of the Senate, which gave a combined 80% of seats to Turkish, Greek, and Armenian representatives, led to resentment about a lack of representation from other communities.

Despite this opposition, it was clear that no alternative was possible because of the popularity of the ethnic parties in each community, leading to a sense of resignation in most smaller communities, who begrudgingly supported the 'yes' option. The text also received support from the British, who sought to ensure the installation of a stable political regime before their departure. Leftists rejected the constitution, as it provided no guarantees of women's rights or workers' rights, and the lack of the demanded popular referendum, leading to demonstrations of women's and labor activists throughout the campaign period.