Erdogan denies bid to change Turkey's constitution means he'll run for presidency again

Erdogan has led Turkey for 22 years, and been president for the past 11, but cannot run again without changing the rules.

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Erdogan has led Turkey for 22 years, first as prime minister from 2003 and then as its elected president since 2014. But he cannot run again unless the rules are changed or he calls early elections.

"We want the new constitution not for ourselves, but for our country. I have no interest in being re-elected or running for office again," he told reporters on Thursday.

And yet Erdogan's recent remarks and actions have heightened speculation that he wants to remain president after his term ends in 2028.

Last January he was asked by a singer if he was up for running for another term and he said, "I am, if you are." The next day his party's spokesman confirmed the issue was on their agenda: "What is important is that our nation wants it."