Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has called for the eradication of social media and voiced support for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to remain in power beyond his term limit, in an interview with a pro-government daily.
In remarks published by the Sabah newspaper on Friday, Bahçeli described his party’s alliance with Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as based not on personal friendship but on “respect for the office.” He said Erdoğan should continue beyond 2028, even though the constitution limits presidents to two terms.
The Turkish Constitution, amended in 2017 to create an executive presidency, limits the office to two five-year terms. Erdoğan was first elected in 2014 under the old parliamentary system and then again in 2018 and 2023 after the constitutional overhaul.
Many legal experts argued ahead of the 2023 election that the constitution sets a simple two-term limit, regardless of whether the first term was served under the old or new system, meaning Erdoğan’s 2014–2018 presidency should be counted.
His team rejected that reading, claiming instead that the clock restarted with the shift to the executive presidency in 2017 and that he was therefore entitled to two full terms under the new rules.
Based on that interpretation, Erdoğan will have reached the constitutional limit by 2028, making another candidacy legally impossible.
“If he runs again, we will give full support,” Bahçeli said.
The MHP leader also criticized the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for disputing court rulings, calling its leader Özgür Özel “too harsh.” He said the trustee takeover of the CHP’s İstanbul branch was “an internal matter” for the party.
Bahçeli saved his harshest words for online platforms. “Social media must be eradicated,” he said. “If it were up to me, I would shut it down in half an hour. It destroys our families, our peace and the upbringing of the new generation.”
Turkish authorities have temporarily blocked access to social media sites, including Facebook, X and Instagram in the past.
The government of President Erdoğan is regularly accused of muzzling freedom of expression.
Turkey, where internet freedom has steadily declined over the past decade, ranks among the “not free” countries concerning online freedoms, according to a report released in October by the US-based Freedom House.
