Erdogan to run for a new presidential term in early elections
A senior advisor to Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed that the Turkish president will run for a new presidential term in early elections likely to be held in April 2028, according to media reports on Thursday.
Private television channel NTV and the newspaper Cumhuriyet quoted Muharrem Kacir, a close aide to Erdogan, as saying, “If 360 MPs support the decision to call for new elections, they will be held on April 16, 2028,” instead of the constitutionally scheduled date in May of the same year.
The constitution bars Erdogan from running again if he completes his current second term. Under Turkish law, elections are scheduled for May 2028.
However, the constitution allows parliament to call for early elections if 360 out of 600 MPs support the move, paving the way for Erdogan to run for another term.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), with its conservative Islamic orientation, and its nationalist ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), control 326 seats in parliament, meaning they need the support of at least 34 additional MPs to pass the measure for early elections.
After Turkey transitioned to a presidential system, Erdogan was re-elected in 2018 and again in 2023.
The government has repeatedly affirmed that elections will be held on their scheduled date.
During a visit to his hometown in Rize province on the Black Sea coast at the end of the week, Erdogan spoke to supporters about “the upcoming elections,” remarks that observers interpreted as a signal of potential early elections.
However, AKP spokesperson Omer Celik denied this, telling journalists, “It was not a reference to early elections. There are no elections on our agenda.”
Following his re-election in May 2023, in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and amid growing concerns over Turkey’s economic outlook, Erdogan stated that this would be his final term.
Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel has repeatedly called for early elections since Istanbul Mayor Akcay Imamoglu was jailed in March 2025 on corruption allegations that opponents claim are politically motivated.
Imamoglu was imprisoned on the same day he was selected as the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate for the 2028 presidential election, the largest opposition party at the time.
However, following a court ruling earlier this year that reshaped the leadership of the CHP, Ozel left the party and founded “Yeni Parti” (New Party), attracting enough MPs to make his party the main opposition force in Turkey.
It remains unclear who will be the main opposition candidate to challenge Erdogan, while Imamoglu is unlikely to be able to run from behind bars.
Critics have frequently accused Erdogan of adopting an authoritarian approach, particularly after the July 2016 coup attempt and the subsequent wide-ranging purge.
Yet he remains popular among his supporters, who see him as the only leader capable of resisting Western pressure and steering Turkey through regional and international crises.
