Yeniden Refah Partisi Chairman Fatih Erbakan said at the opening of the party’s Kahramankazan district office that the district’s importance had increased with the title of “Kahraman” it received after July 15.
Commenting on the early election debate, Erbakan said his party was working as though an election would be held every Sunday. He said he considered an election in October or November 2027 more likely; if a constitutional amendment enabling Mr. Tayyip to run again is adopted, the election could be postponed until May 2028, while if there is no amendment, an election could be held at the end of 2027.
Erbakan said his party received 7 percent of the vote in the last election with around 500 thousand members, and around 3 percent in the 2023 elections with 260 thousand members. He said they had no concerns about the electoral threshold and were open to alliances in parliamentary elections with parties that have similar voter bases and positions, but had not yet taken any concrete, official steps.
Asked about Bahçeli’s remarks that a villa was being built on İmralı Island, Erbakan stressed that they opposed pardoning terrorists, allowing them to return to politics, and granting privileges to any terrorist organization, including Abdullah Öcalan. He said such a change should be put to the public and that the families of martyrs and veterans should have a say. He added that they supported ending terrorism, laying down arms, and completely dismantling the organization.
Why it matters
Erbakan’s linking of the election timetable to a constitutional amendment that would enable another candidacy shows that the debate over an early election is being shaped not only by timing but also by candidacy requirements. While stating that the party has no concerns about the electoral threshold, his openness to alliances with parties that have similar voter bases and positions indicates that the search for cooperation in parliamentary elections remains on the agenda; however, the absence of any official step shows that the potential partners and framework remain unclear. The comparison drawn between membership figures and vote shares in different elections does not provide a direct measure of growth because the elections and the calculation method were not specified. His support for dismantling terrorist organizations while opposing pardons, returns to politics, and privileges clarifies his party’s red lines in any potential process and the role it attributes to the families of martyrs and veterans.
Background
Öcalan is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: in the past 90 days, we have published 5 news reports mentioning this name; the latest was dated September 16, 2026.