Kilicdaroglu makes early elections assist to Erdogan

TURKEY - In Brief 26 Oct 2026 by Atilla Yesilada

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In our Quarterly I argued forcefully that early elections will not take place before March-April 2028, while still stick to my baseline, a recent statement by CHP’s court appointed chairperson Kemal Kilicdaroglu is certain to stoke a second round of heated debate about the timing of early elections. This is what Kilicdaroglu said in Gaziantep over the weekend, which I read but didn’t take seriously: “If a proposal comes, we are ready. If an early election is called, we will not object. Even if it is just two months or one month away, Turkey must abandon the charade of democracy as soon as possible and establish a system that genuinely upholds democratic principles.” Asked whether Erdoğan would run for president again, Kilicdaroglu replied, “How do you know Erdoğan will be a candidate? Perhaps he won’t run. We need to assess the circumstances at the time. I don’t believe Erdoğan will seek another term.” (link to BBC article here) To put these statements in the context of early election timing, Erdogan is currently not eligible to run once again. He can regain his eligibility either through a change in the Constitution, or if the parliament calls for early elections. The Constitutional path is very onerous, as I’ve explained ad nauseum in countless recent essays. AKP-MHP currently have 327 seats, but 330 is more practical, as the two have at least tiny allies. They need to reach 360 votes to enact early election legislation. CHP has 44 seats, meaning if all obey the leadership line, the early election vote will be a breeze. That said, I have no reason to believe Erdogan is ready for early elections. Firstly, Kilicdaroglu’s assist to Erdogan (title drop) can create a new ...