Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced European criticism of the country’s controversial referendum on constitutional reform which has granted him extensive new executive powers.

Addressing a crowd of supporters from the steps of his palace in Ankara on Monday after most ballots from the weekend’s voting showed a narrow 51.3 per cent victory for the ‘yes’ campaign, Mr Erdogan dismissed EU voting monitors who found the referendum was not a “genuinely democratic process.”

“The crusader mentality in the West and its servants at home have attacked us,” he said. “We neither see, hear, nor acknowledge the political reports you'll prepare.

“We'll continue on our path. Talk to the hand. This country has carried out the most democratic elections, not seen anywhere in the West.”

Earlier on Monday, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had said that circumstances such as a “lack of equal opportunities, one-sided media coverage, and limitations on fundamental freedoms” had created an “unlevel playing field” in the campaigning and voting process.

“In general, the referendum did not live up to Council of Europe standards. The legal framework was inadequate for the holding of a genuinely democratic process,” Cezar Florin Preda, head of the delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, said in a statement.

Turkey's president Recep Erdogan wins referendum to greatly expand powers

Turkey’s foreign ministry also labelled the comments “prejudiced” and “unacceptable”.

Turkish-European relations have become increasingly strained amid concerns over Mr Erdogan’s human rights record and diplomatic spats over campaigning rules for expatriate Turks living in Germany and the Netherlands ahead of the weekend’s vote.

On Monday Mr Erdogan reiterated his position that in light of the narrow ‘yes’ victory Turkey could break off its decades-long bid to accede to the EU.

The changes to Turkey’s executive branches of government proposed under the referendum will effectively abolish the position of prime minister, and turn the president’s currently largely ceremonial role into an active one.

Mr Erdogan will have the power to appoint and fire ministers, name half the members of the country's highest judicial body, hold the leadership of a political party while in office, and possibly stay in power for another 12 years.

In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People demonstrate in front of the Republic Monument at the Taksim Square in Istanbul Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters

The president’s ruling AK party argues that Turkey’s current fragile economic and security situation needs strong leadership. Opponents, however, have already voiced fears that the president already holds too much power, and the ‘yes’ vote puts Turkey at risk of becoming an authoritarian state.

There has been a particular crackdown on members of the opposition, academics, journalists and rights activists since a failed military coup in July last year, after which the government declared a state of emergency.