🔻 Erdoğan’s decision to run again in Turkey’s 2028 presidential election

One of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s senior advisers announced on Thursday that he intends to run as a candidate in the snap elections of 2028.

Muhammad Ojum, Mr. Erdoğan’s adviser, says his aim is to get around the legal limitations related to the presidential term, which he would have faced if he completed his current term.

This is the first official confirmation of the decision by the 72-year-old leader of Turkey to take part in the presidential election.

In an interview with the NTV television network and the Cumhuriyet newspaper, Mr. Ojum said: “If 360 members of parliament support the decision to hold a new election, this election will be held on April 16, 2028.”

Under Turkey’s constitution, parliament can trigger early elections with the support of 360 members, meaning that the ruling “Justice and Development” party and its nationalist ally, the “Nationalist Movement” party, would need the support of at least 34 other members to make this happen.

In recent years, Mr. Erdoğan has repeatedly said that he no longer intends to run for the presidency of Turkey and will not take part in the next election.

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