The Turkish presidential administration has rejected calls for early elections, with Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s presidential term expected to last until 2028.
⠀
Local government elections were held in Turkey on Sunday. According to preliminary data, the opposition Republican People’s Party of Turkey (CHP) is surpassing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for the first time in 20 years. Opposition mayors of major cities – Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir – retained their posts. Experts cited the difficult economic situation in the country as the reason for the failure of the ruling team; according to their forecasts, the opposition, against the backdrop of success, may demand early presidential elections.
⠀
“The main thing that needs to be emphasized is that the presidential system cannot generate electoral demands on the government and parliament based on the results of local elections. Even in a parliamentary system, the issue of the influence of local elections on general elections is resolved in extremely rare cases, and thinking about “that such an effect will be in the presidential system is just empty dreams. Maybe there are those who dream of such fantasies, but the system rejects such consolations,” the adviser to the Turkish leader Mehmet Uçum wrote on the social network X.
⠀
According to him, those who make calculations for (early) general (presidential and parliamentary) elections based on the voting performance of parties in local assemblies “should not try in vain.”
⠀
“During the four-year period without elections, which will last until 2028, Turkey will pursue reform policies in all areas. President Erdogan will lead Turkey to new stages depending on the prospect of an independent and strong Turkey, leading the country. Let no one be left in doubt.” , – the adviser noted.
