Erdogan announces final candidacy for 2023 Britain seeks partners in Africa, Asia and America

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will not run again if he wins next year’s elections. During a performance in the northern Turkish city of Samsun on Saturday, the 68-year-old announced that he would ask for the country’s support for the “last time” in 2023. Then he is handed over to younger politicians. With his conservative Islamic party, the AKP, Erdogan hopes for success in the parliamentary and presidential elections, which will take place in June at the latest.

However, given the inflation rate of more than 80 percent, the president is under considerable pressure. According to a November poll, neither a coalition of six opposition parties nor the AKP with its partner, the ultra-nationalist party MHP, currently have an absolute majority. Even a victory for Erdogan in the presidential elections that are taking place at the same time is anything but certain.

The six opposition parties, including the centre-left CHP, have joined forces with the aim of replacing Erdogan. The alliance has not yet announced a presidential candidate. Erdogan 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 powers of the president have been significantly increased.

(yam/sda/dpa)