Senior Turkish official: Erdogan to run again in early 2028 election

A senior Turkish official said on Thursday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will run for president again in early elections scheduled for 2028, according to AFP.

The remarks come amid growing debate in Turkey over the possibility of holding elections ahead of schedule. Erdogan's legal adviser, Mehmet Ucum, indicated that the vote could take place on April 16, 2028, which would be before the originally planned presidential and parliamentary elections in May of the same year.

The ruling Justice and Development Party has previously announced that Erdogan will be its candidate in the next presidential election. Party spokesperson Omer Celik said the party's authorized bodies have a clear and firm stance on nominating Erdogan.

Under Turkish constitutional rules, a president may serve a maximum of two terms, but an exception allows a third run if parliament calls early elections during the president's second term. Calling early elections requires the approval of 360 out of 600 members of parliament.