Erdogan Faces Chance for New Term as Turkey Hints at Early Elections

A senior advisor to the Turkish president said on Thursday that the country will likely hold its 2028 elections earlier than anticipated, a move that would enable President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to circumvent constitutional term limits and run for the presidency again.

The next presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for May of that year.

Mehmet Ucum, an advisor to Erdogan, told journalists in Ankara: "It has become almost clear currently that the 2028 elections will be held in March or April."

Ucum did not clarify what this means for the president's plans, but this is the first time a senior official has endorsed a proposal put forward by Erdogan's allies to change the election date to allow him to run again.

Erdogan has ruled Turkey for nearly 23 years, initially serving as prime minister before assuming the presidency.

A referendum in 2017 adopted a new executive presidential system that allowed Erdogan to be re-elected twice more, in 2018 and 2023.

This new system stipulates that the maximum term for the presidency is only two terms, but the constitution allows him to run again if parliament calls for early elections before he completes his final five-year term.

Calling for early elections requires a majority in parliament of three-fifths of the deputies, meaning 360 out of 600 members.

Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party and its allies hold 331 seats.