Erdogan could run for a new presidential term / Early elections would allow him to avoid the constitutional limit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could run for a new term in an early presidential election that could be called in April 2028. Such a procedure would allow him to circumvent the constitutional limit of two terms under the current presidential system.

Mehmet Uçum, a senior presidential adviser, said the election could take place on April 16, 2028, if the decision is supported by at least 360 of Turkey’s 600 lawmakers. Normally, the vote is scheduled for May 2028.

The Islamist-conservative AKP, led by Erdoğan, and its nationalist ally MHP jointly control 326 seats, meaning the government would need the support of lawmakers from other parties. The Turkish Constitution allows an early election to be called during a president’s second term, giving the head of state the right to run again.

Erdoğan was elected president in 2014, re-elected in 2018 after the transition to an executive presidential system, and again in 2023. Although he said after his latest victory that this would be his final term, his recent statements and discussions about an early election indicate an intention to remain in power. The government, however, continues to maintain that the vote will take place according to the established schedule.

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