Party sources: Erdogan considering cabinet reshuffle after COP29 ends

Leading figures in the AKP are discussing the possibility of carrying out a cabinet reshuffle immediately after the end of the United Nations Climate Conference COP29, which is scheduled to close in Antalya by 20 November, amid mounting pressure in the wake of the investment funds scandal.

Behind-the-scenes sources say President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was already considering renewing his team as part of election preparations before the funds crisis erupted, and that the crisis may accelerate the changes and push toward appointing figures effective on the ground.

There is a prevailing conviction behind the scenes of the need for a 'full purge before the elections' to open a new page, as those close to the leadership believe that prolonging the crisis weakens a fragile economy and requires restoring confidence with rapid steps. The possibility of holding an extraordinary party congress after any cabinet reshuffle, in order to renew the party's own leadership, is also being discussed.

As for the elections, estimates vary within the party: one group favors May 2027, while another sees November 2027 as more realistic in light of the economic and political data. On the other hand, those adhering to the constitutional date call for using the period until 2028 to renew party cadres, address the funds crisis and resolve structural economic problems.