Erdogan: World tour for presidency!

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will most likely be candidate in presidential elections of next August, is considering to conduct his election campaign in many countries of Europe addressing the Turkish expatriate voters, as sources within his environment note.

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The presidential elections, which will be held for the first time with universal voting, will be also open for the first time for about 2.6 million Turks in voting age that live abroad, of whom 1.5 million are in Germany. Before the new law passed in 2012 with the initiative of conservative-Islamic government, only 5% to 7% of those voters had such a right, according to figures announced by the electoral authorities, and the vote was carried out at the customs border of Turkey.

In the context of his election tour, it was explained that Erdogan wants to visit numerous cities in Germany, where a substantial ethnic Turkish community (3.4 million people) resides, mainly in Cologne. The head of the Turkish government wants to then go to France and Netherlands, two countries that also host important Turkish communities. The exact dates of these visits haven't been announced yet.

Despite the extensive corruption scandal that was uncovered last December and harmed the environment of Erdogan and himself, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) he leads won the municipal elections of 30 March garnering 45% of votes. Boosted by this victory, Erdogan is considered the favorite for the presidential elections on 10 August, which, if necessary, will continue with a second round on August 24.

Erdogan hasn't announced his candidacy, but it safe to consider it likely. His potential opponent, the incumbent Head of State Abdullah Gul, who had been elected by the Parliament, ruled out the possibility of exchanging positions as Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev did in Russia, between him and Erdogan, former companion of his in ranks of political Islam.