Turkey's premier calls on opposition to respect referendum

Supporters of the 'no' vote protest in Istanbul, against the referendum outcome, Monday, April 17, 2017. The placards reads in Turkish: 'No we will win'. Turkey's main opposition party urged the country's electoral board Monday to cancel the results of a landmark referendum that granted sweeping new powers to Erdogan, citing what it called substantial voting irregularities. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

Supporters of pro-'no' vote chant slogans as they protest in Istanbul, against the referendum outcome, early Monday, April 17, 2017. Hundreds of demonstrators marched in a central neighbourhood, clanking pots and pans and chanting 'this is just the beginning, the struggle will continue'. (AP Photo/Cansu Alkaya) (The Associated Press)

A supporter of the 'no' vote lights a flare during a protest in Istanbul, against the referendum outcome, Monday, April 17, 2017. Turkey's main opposition party urged the country's electoral board Monday to cancel the results of a landmark referendum that granted sweeping new powers to Erdogan, citing what it called substantial voting irregularities. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

Turkey's prime minister has called on the opposition to respect the result of a referendum that will expand the powers of the office of the president.

In an address to legislators from his ruling party on Tuesday, Binali Yildirim said the people had voted to switch from a parliamentary to a presidential system, adding: the "opposition should not speak after the people have spoken."

An unofficial tally carried by the country's state-run news agency gave President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "yes" camp a narrow win.

Opposition parties called for the vote to be annulled because of a series of irregularities, particularly an electoral board decision to accept ballots that didn't bear official stamps, as required by Turkish law.

International monitors said the move undermined safeguards against fraud.