The economic crisis hurt his popularity.
Erdogan in a meeting with members of his party in parliament, last week (Photo: Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey's elections will be held on May 14 - a month earlier than planned - according to a video shared by his office on Sunday.
"These are not early elections but only their prelude," Erdogan said in a document published yesterday (Sunday) by his office from a meeting with young people in the city of Bursa this weekend.
Erdogan said he would use his authority to move the elections to May 14 - this he said to take school exams into account.
Senior officials in the ruling party have mentioned in recent weeks the possibility of bringing forward the presidential and parliamentary elections, which were supposed to be held in June, due to the summer season and religious holidays.
According to the polls, Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for two decades, will face the biggest challenge to his rule in light of his declining popularity.
The opposition also supported the early elections, but the rival parties of the 68-year-old Erdogan have not yet presented an agreed candidate.
A source in the opposition ranks told the French news agency last week that they will reveal their candidate next month.
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