Following a Justice and Development Party (AKP) cabinet meeting on Monday night, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made an announcement indicating May 14 as the likely date for Turkey’s upcoming presidential election.
Since early January, the ruling party had indicated its intent to move forward Turkey’s election date, which had been originally scheduled for June 18. The opposition has criticized the proposed change, accusing the AKP of opportunism. In order to be implemented, the change would need to be done unilaterally by President Erdoğan as his coalition lacks the necessary seats in the Turkish Parliament in order to reschedule the contest.
“We see that Sunday, May 14, 2023, is the most suitable date for the election in all respects. We would like to bring our country to the polls on this date.
We would be pleased if our Parliament makes this date change using a three-fifths majority as dictated in our constitution.
Otherwise, as President, we will make the change ourselves in order for the election to be held on May 14. We extend our well wishes to our nation as we approach the election season.”
The change in the election date marks a dramatic 180 for the president and his coalition. He had previously rebuffed the notion of an early election, stating in strong terms that the idea was a non-starter. The opposition had previously made calls for earlier polls, most notably in December 2021 during a dramatic overnight currency devaluation crisis.
The AKP had stated factors such as university exam dates, the Haj pilgrimage, the Ramadan holiday, and the Feast of the Sacrifice holiday (Kurban Bayramı) as reasons for rescheduling the polls. in a speech on January 18, the president had also made reference to the date of Turkey’s first open democratic elections on May 14, 1950, as a reason to use this date. The 1950 elections saw the rise of the Democratic Party and its leader Adnan Menderes, who would be removed from power in a military coup 10 years later.
