Presidential vote tipped for late 2027 or early 2028, pro-govt columnist says

Pro-government Hurriyet newspaper columnist Abdulkadir Selvi has predicted that Türkiye's next elections will be held either at the end of 2027 or early in 2028.

In his recent column, Selvi, who has excellent ties within the Turkish government circles, discussed the political future of Ekrem Imamoglu, the jailed presidential candidate and former mayor of Istanbul. He said that even Imamoglu supporters have come to realize he will likely not run in the next presidential elections.

Providing a timeline for the upcoming electoral cycle, Selvi stated, "Starting from the second half of 2027, the election cauldron will begin to boil vigorously."

Selvi argued that Imamoglu will not have a seat at the table in the upcoming elections, but will instead find himself "on the menu" as he will continue to deal with legal processes.

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He concluded his commentary on the former Istanbul mayor by adding, "Imamoglu wanted to be the hunter, but as a result of the wrong strategy, he became the prey." Selvi argued that Imamoglu's influence in the New Party, Türkiye's newly founded main opposition party, will diminish significantly if he receives a prison sentence from his ongoing trials.

What happened to former Istanbul mayor Imamoglu

Imamoglu was arrested by the Turkish police on March 19, 2025. An Istanbul court ordered his pre-trial detention on March 23, 2025, and he was immediately suspended from his role as mayor of Istanbul.

He faces multiple charges from different investigations. The primary charges leading to his arrest in March 2025 were related to an investigation into alleged corruption, where he is accused of "establishing and leading a criminal organization," embezzlement, extortion, bribery, and money laundering related to municipal contracts. He also faces investigations into terrorism charges.

Prosecutors accused him of aiding the terrorist group PKK, specifically alleging that his electoral alliance with the pro-Kurdish-leaning DEM party during the 2024 municipal elections increased the PKK's influence.

August 25, 2026 09:34 AM GMT+03:00