Erdoğan to travel across 40 provinces to convince public constitutional changes necessary


As Parliament prepares for the expected referendum in early April regarding the constitutional amendment package to change the parliamentary system to a presidential one, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to visit 30 cities as well as local districts in provinces across Turkey amid efforts to introduce and elucidate the constitutional changes to the people, according to presidential sources.President Erdoğan hinted at strategic pre-referendum plans prior to his four-day visit to Africa last week, stating that he anticipates no obstacles to his cross-country campaign; he also addressed crowds during the opening ceremony of the extension of the Kadıköy-Kartal metro line in Pendik, Istanbul last week, calling on Istanbulites to support the constitutional changes in the coming referendum, stating: "I believe that fervent efforts to work day and night throughout this referendum campaign will set you on the right path for the future. ... Now, I hope the Turkish nation will make a definitive decision." On that note, sources also indicated that Erdoğan is planning an increased number of visits to various regions around the country, especially in mid-February. During various opening ceremonies and public gatherings in major cities, including Ankara, Istanbul and İzmir, President Erdoğan is expected to visit southeastern cities such as Gaziantep and Diyarbakır.In addition to opening ceremonies and various public gatherings, President Erdoğan is expected to appear on some TV channels to clarify details regarding the new presidential system and address the advantages of the new system, while reminding the public that the de facto presidential system began in 2014 with the presidential election and drawing attention to the difficulties of dual-headed governing. Meanwhile, as the CHP continues to criticize the constitutional amendment blindly, while claiming that the amendment would usher in a regime change in Turkey, the president has maintained throughout his campaign that there will be "no regime change - only a systematic one."In that regard, the Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) women's branch head and Ankara Deputy Lütfiye Selva Çam also provided information regarding the "referendum road map" to Daily Sabah, saying that a booklet debunks 30 instances of false information currently circulating in the media thanks to the Republican People's Party (CHP). The booklet, "30 Correct Answers to 30 False Answers," clarifies discrepancies raised by the main opposition party. Commenting on CHP claims that the regime change is centered on achieving "one-man rule" under the new constitution, Çam dismissed these claims, saying that the allegations are "absolutely baseless. There is no change being made to the first four - and most fundamental - articles of the Turkish Constitution. ... Such claims are nothing more than efforts to confuse the minds of the [Turkish] people."Meanwhile, the constitutional amendment package received the necessary majority vote in Parliament after the second round of voting, increasing the likelihood of a referendum to be held prior to April 20, according to the current "referendum road map." However, prior to declaring a referendum on the constitutional changes, the president must legally approve the package within a 15-day period. Once confirmed by the president, the referendum must be held 60 days after the announcement has been made in the Official Gazette on the first Sunday of the month.