Turkey signals possible early elections in March or April 2028 — Erdogan adviser
An adviser said moving the vote into March or April 2028 would open the way for Erdoğan to run again despite constitutional term limits.
Turkey could hold its 2028 national vote earlier than the scheduled May date, a move that would clear a legal path for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to run again, an adviser to the president said in Ankara.
"It is almost certain that the elections in 2028 will be held in March or April," Mehmet Ucum told reporters, according to his remarks in the capital. He did not directly outline Erdoğan's personal plans, but the statement is the most explicit public endorsement yet from a senior official for shifting the calendar to enable another term.
How the timing would affect Erdoğan's eligibility
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has dominated Turkish politics for nearly 23 years, first as prime minister and then as president. A 2017 referendum replaced the parliamentary system with an executive presidential system, which allowed Erdoğan to be re-elected in 2018 and again in 2023.
The Turkish constitution formally limits the presidency to two terms, but it contains a provision that would permit a candidate to run again if the parliament calls early elections during the incumbent's second term. Moving the vote from May into March or April of 2028 would be a procedural route allies could use to circumvent the two-term restriction.
Political analysts say such a change would be politically charged and raise debates about constitutional interpretation and democratic norms, while Erdoğan's long tenure and recent electoral victories mean any alteration to the timetable will be closely watched at home and abroad.
Photo: press material from the event
