MHP urges constitutional amendment for Erdoğan’s next presidential bid

ANKARA

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli has underlined the need for a constitutional amendment so that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan can run for the presidency in the next elections.

“Mr. President Erdoğan is the only option in regard to the safety of the 'Century of Türkiye,' continuity of the state and political stability. In this context, a constitutional adjustment must be made,” Bahçeli said in his weekly address to his parliamentary group on Nov. 5.

MHP is the closest ally of Erdoğan, who is also the chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). He was elected as the head of the nation for the second time in 2023 and cannot run for office for another term under the current constitution. The only way for him to run for the presidency is the parliament’s decision to dissolve itself before the 2028 polls.

Bahçeli stressed that Erdoğan will naturally be the right and natural choice in the next polls should the government resolve economic problems and root out terrorism.

In response to his widely debated proposal calling for the release of terrorist leader Abdullah Öcalan if he agrees to issue a call for PKK to lay down arms and end terrorist activities against Türkiye, Bahçeli stated, "I stand by my words."

Stressing that Turks and Kurds are brothers and have lived together for more than 1,000 years in these lands, Bahçeli urged that essential ways can be found to create a safer Türkiye for all.

He also called on the Democratic Equality Party (DEM) to make its decision and keep its distance from PKK. “Our tolerance on terrorism is zero. Terrorist organization is a legitimate target, but Kurds and PKK are not same. The biggest malice against Türkiye is to keep these two same,” he added.