The Turkish president wants to run for the last time in 2023.
(Photo: ddp/abaca press)
Istanbul Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will not run again if he wins next year’s elections. During an appearance in the northern Turkish city of Samsun, the 68-year-old announced that he would ask for the nation’s support one last time in 2023. After that, he will be handed over to younger politicians.
With his conservative Islamic party, the AKP, Erdogan is hoping for success in the parliamentary and presidential elections, which will take place in June at the latest. In view of more than 80 percent inflation, however, the President is under considerable pressure.
According to a survey conducted in November, neither a merger of six opposition parties nor the AKP with its partner, the ultra-nationalist party MHP, could currently achieve an absolute majority in the parliamentary elections. Even a victory for Erdogan in the presidential election that is taking place at the same time is anything but certain.
The six opposition parties, including the centre-left CHP, have joined forces with the intention of replacing Erdogan. The alliance has not yet announced a presidential candidate.
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Erdogan changed the country like no other Turkish politician. He has been in power for almost 20 years – first as Prime Minister and since 2014 as President. Five years ago, the parliamentary system was replaced by a presidential system in a referendum. Since then, the President has had significantly more powers.
Under his government, Turkey became an EU candidate, almost quadrupled its gross domestic product in US dollars and has grown into a geopolitical player. On the other hand, Erdogan became more and more authoritarian over time, had political prisoners locked up as terrorists and drove the Turkish lira into a downward spiral.
Erdogan’s imminent withdrawal – a clever election campaign maneuver
It is surprising that Erdogan’s announcement has hardly been commented on in the country so far. It is the first time that the now 68-year-old has spoken openly about the end of his career. The communications directorate of Turkey’s presidential office quoted Erdogan’s resignation in a tweet that was barely heard in 24 hours. But Erdogan is not known for speaking into the microphone from the gut.
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In his own AKP party, many might have expected this step. If Erdogan were to stand in the elections after next, he would be 73 years old. A few years ago he himself said in a speech that such an age would be too old for a president. So the announcement is logical on the one hand, and yet it comes at an interesting time when Erdogan is fighting for votes.
In parliament, too, he no longer has a broad majority behind him. In a debate about the retirement age in Turkey, Erdogan is said to have been against an increase. In the meantime, however, all parliamentary groups are discussing it regardless of what the President thinks of it. Ultimately, Erdogan is said to have given up his internal resistance.
Observers therefore believe that the announced career end could be a particularly clever campaign maneuver. “He could appeal to swing voters in particular,” explains a journalist who is close to the AKP, “because they could console themselves with only having to vote for him one last time.”
What sounds irrational has a certain tradition in Turkish political culture. Anyone who wants to abdicate usually no longer receives criticism, but instead broad support out of respect. As a result, Erdogan is building up psychological pressure that could help him win the election one last time in 2023. And that’s what matters to him.
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