New Term for Turkey’s Erdogan in the Works, Says Ruling Party Spokesman
New Term for Turkey’s Erdogan in the Works, Says Ruling Party Spokesman
ANKARA, Jan 13 – The spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party indicated on Monday that facilitating Erdogan’s candidacy for a fourth presidential term is “on our agenda,” emphasizing that the key consideration is whether it aligns with the will of the people.
Erdogan has been the longest-serving leader in modern Turkey, having held power for over twenty years, initially as prime minister and subsequently as president. According to Turkey’s presidential term limits, he is currently in his last term unless there is a constitutional change or early elections are mandated by parliament.
He was first elected president in 2014 within a parliamentary framework. He was subsequently re-elected in 2018 and 2023 after his ruling AK Party (AKP) and their nationalist allies, the MHP, introduced constitutional amendments to establish an executive presidency. When reporters inquired about an exchange that occurred over the weekend between a singer and Erdogan, in which Erdogan replied to a question about seeking another term by stating, “I am in if you are,” AKP spokesman Omer Celik mentioned that the AKP welcomed the matter being placed on the agenda.
“Those of us who stand with our President have it on our agenda,” he stated during a press conference in Ankara. “We will explore a solution. In the realm of politics, a year is brief, while a day feels extended. What truly matters is that our citizens desire it,” he continued. “Observing the events around us, it’s clear at every opportunity just how crucial our president’s expertise and determination are for our nation,” he remarked. In November, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli proposed the notion of a constitutional amendment to permit the president to seek re-election in the upcoming 2028 elections. A constitutional amendment can be moved to a referendum if 360 lawmakers in the 600-member parliament support it. Likewise, an early election requires backing from 360 MPs. The AKP and its partners hold 321 seats.
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