Discussion on the 18-article constitutional amendment package that will allow Turkey to switch to a presidential system began Monday at the General Assembly of the Parliament, after being passed by the Constitution Commission. The parliament has accepted to discuss the articles of the package with 338 votes. In the voting, 134 deputies rejected the discussion and two lawmakers abstained from the vote. 5 votes turned out to be blank, and 1 vote was invalid.Holding a meeting with their deputies on Monday morning right before the beginning of the discussions, deputy chairs of both the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) held meetings with parliamentary deputies on Monday morning ahead of the discussions during which deputy chairmen provided details regarding strategies ahead of the General Assembly regarding the proposed constitutional amendment package.The AK Party hopes to conclude the ten-day negotiation process for the amendment package, previously decided on by the parliamentary Constitutional Commission, by Jan. 24. The proposed package will undergo the same procedure as any other draft, with the exception of being discussed twice. The second session of discussions will not begin until a 48-hour time lapse has gone by after the first session is completed. In the first session, all four parties in parliament will take the floor in turns, discussing all articles of the package and proposing any subsequent changes to the said articles. In the second session, however, the parties will not discuss the articles themselves but the proposed changes to the articles.AK Party Chairman and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım gave opening remarks on Monday followed with a speech by former CHP Chairman Deniz Baykal.In order for ratifications to be made to the constitutional proposal, the changes must be approved by three-fifths of parliamentary deputies, or 330 votes. During the second session of discussions, any individual article receiving fewer than 330 votes will be dropped. Furthermore, if the entire package receives less than 330 votes, it will be completely dropped. If approved by the General Assembly, the proposal will be submitted to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has the authority to send the law back to parliament for review. The president has to examine the law within two weeks' time, while a referendum can then be held 60 days after the president's ratification. In this case, the referendum is expected to be held by early April. To come into effect, the law has to receive the simple majority of the eligible votes.The constitutional amendment package foresees the president as the head of the executive branch of government, thereby abolishing the Prime Ministry and allowing the president to give executive orders and appoint parliamentary deputies as well as cabinet members.AK Party deputy and Parliament Constitutional Commission ChairmanMustafa Şentop addressed this issue, saying the proposed changes would provide presidential accountability, meaning the president elect will be held responsible for his or her decisions or actions. In addition, Şentop said that the president's authority to enact executive orders would not take away from the legislative authority of Parliament, as executive orders only regulate the executive branch of government and can be vetoed by lawmakers in parliament.