Turkish citizens are heading to vote Sunday on a constitutional referendum that might reshape the functioning of the republic.

The intent behind the proposals for amendment of the Turkish constitution is to limit the considerable powers of the military, and to some extent of the judiciary.

They include a larger parliamentary quota in the Constitutional Court, the possibility of military officials to be tried in civilian courts, and a lift on the protection for generals involved in the 1980 military coup d'?tat.

The Turkish military has staged four coups since 1960 and Sunday's referendum is symbolically scheduled on the 30th anniversary of the last one.

It is also seen as a test for the popular support of the governmental philosophy of Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his AKP.

Surveys suggest a contested vote, though recent ones have shown more support in approval of the amendments.

In the past years, Turkey has been shaken by a series of events which saw dozens of senior military officers arrested on charges of organizing subversive activities.

The Turkish military is seen as a staunch upholder of Atat?rk's principles of strictly secular republicanism, but has historically protected them with drastic and not wholly democratic means.

The popular Erdogan AKP party on the other hand on the other hand supports political Islam and a soft return to more traditional values.

Turkey awaits general elections 2011, when AKP will get the chance for a third consecutive term in government.

Erdogan has stated that his constitutional reform efforts – which have been opposed by the Constitutional Court – aim at democratizing Turkey and fulfilling EU requirements. His opposers , such as CHP party leaders, have accused him of trying to accumulate all of state power for his AKP party. Throughout the campaign, Erdogan has reminded Turks of the violence and undemocratic measures taken by the country's military.

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