Ruling alliance figures have intensified efforts to position President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a 2028 candidacy by invoking Article 116 of the Turkish constitution, which permits a third term if parliament calls early presidential and parliamentary elections during his second term. In September and early October 2026, chief adviser Mehmet Uçum proposed an April 16, 2028 vote, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek stated the election would re-elect Erdoğan, and Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahçeli urged parliament to approve the renewal with broadest support. The AKP-MHP bloc holds 326 of 600 seats and needs 360 votes for the measure, creating a procedural hurdle that requires cross-party backing. Opposition leaders have countered with calls for earlier elections amid ongoing legal and political disputes, while the scheduled May 2028 date remains the baseline absent parliamentary action. These developments frame trader assessments of timelines for any leadership transition.