Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the forthcoming general elections in 2023 crucial for the country.

The Turkish leader announced the priorities of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) headed by him on Wednesday in Ankara at a meeting with the leaders of regional party branches.

“The 2023 elections are not important for Erdogan and the AKP, they are important for Turkey. It will depend on the choice of voters whether Turkey will enter the top ten most developed countries in the world, the Turkish leader said.

According to Erdogan, every election is important and critical. However, the upcoming elections a year later are of particular importance, as they will determine the vector of the country's development until 2053.

Presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey are scheduled for June 2023. They will be held in the year when it will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the republic. The ruling People's Alliance, which includes the Turkish-led AKP and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), had earlier announced that Erdogan would be their sole candidate in the elections.