Turkey’s Erdogan to run in early 2028 vote, sidestepping constitutional term limit

A top adviser to Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish leader would run again in an early election likely to be held in April 2028, media outlets reported on Thursday. It was the first official confirmation that the 72-year-old leader would run again for president. "If 360 lawmakers back a decision to call a new election, it will be held on April 16, 2028," Mehmet Ucum said in remarks cited by private NTV broadcaster and Cumhuriyet newspaper. Under Turkish law, an election would normally be held in May that year. Read moreTurkey detains dozens in raids of bars, homes in crackdown on LGBTQ community By bringing the election forward by one month however, the Turkish leader is able to sidestep a constitutional provision limiting a president from serving more than two five-year terms in office. Under the constitution, parliament can trigger early elections if such a move has the support of 360 of the chamber's 600 lawmakers. Erdogan's ruling Islamo-conservative AKP and its nationalist ally MHP hold 326 seats in parliament, meaning to trigger the election, they will need the support of at least 34 other lawmakers. Turkey's march towards 'pure autocracy': 'Very serious' cases against Ima...