Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it clear on January 18 that presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on May 14. They had previously been scheduled for June, Duvar reported.

Erdogan's remarks came after his signal of possible early elections due to seasonal conditions.

In 1950 Adnan Menderes and his Democratic Party defeated Ismet Inenyu's People's Republican Party (PRP), which had been in power for 27 years.

Menderes, whose name is often mentioned by Erdoğan and the AKP, was executed by hanging after a coup in 1960 after 10 years as prime minister.

Can Erdogan run for another term?

Some critics say Erdogan could be a candidate if Parliament decides to hold early elections because of term limits.

Erdogan first became president in the 2014 presidential election.

Erdogan's five-year term expires in June 2023, and debate continues over whether he can run again.

Pro-government circles say Erdogan has no legal impediment to re-nominate himself under the new system because the presidency has taken on a different role since the 2017 constitutional reform. Critics point out, however, that Article 101 of the Turkish Constitution limits the presidency to two terms. Changing the constitution on this issue requires a two-thirds majority in parliament (400 deputies), which the ruling alliance has failed to achieve.