Turkey’s Erdogan reiterates pledge not to run for another term

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated on Thursday his pledge not to run for president or any other official position again.

“I have no intention of being re-elected or running for president again. We only care about improving our country’s reputation” he told reporters upon his return from Hungary.

“Turkey is changing; the world is changing. We are living in a new era. Do you think we can achieve anything in such a rapidly changing world with a constitution created during a coup d’etat in the old Turkey that still retains a putsch mentality?”  said Erdogan, who has led Turkey as prime minister or president for nearly 25 years,

He also called on the opposition to cooperate in replacing the constitution, saying “Turkey can no longer move forward with a constitution written by putschists. We need a constitution proposed by civilians, not coup plotters,”

Erdogan pledged during his presidential race in 2023 not to run for another term, while the constitution allows him to run for a third term if the election is brought forward.

Many doubt the president’s intention to relinquish power, especially after the authorities arrested his main rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu last March. Since his arrest on charges of a series of crimes, opinion polls have shown his support has only increased.

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