Turkey's currency crisis has cut into the popularity of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, handing the opposition a golden opportunity to finally challenge the long-time leader -- if rival factions can unite, analysts say.
The next elections are scheduled for June 2023, but the emboldened opposition is pressing for snap elections as soon as next year, ibtimes.com said on Wednesday.
In office for 18 years, Erdogan survived a coup attempt in 2016, but he now faces an enormous economic challenge as people's living standards are diminished by soaring inflation and the lira's collapse.
The Turkish currency has lost more than 40% in value against the dollar since the start of the year, exceeding 13 to the greenback at one point last week after Erdogan defended his unorthodox belief that low interest rates are the antidote to high inflation.
"Rising prices and a weak Turkish lira, alongside public dissatisfaction with widespread corruption, are damaging the government," Adeline Van Houtte, European analyst at Economist Intelligence Unit, told AFP.
"Critically, several parties are now competing against Mr Erdogan for conservative and right-of-center votes."
The sharp fall in the value of lira sparked protests last week in Istanbul and the capital Ankara, with crowds complaining about soaring prices.
"Every day, we ask ourselves these questions: how am I going to pay my rent, how am I going to make it to the end of the month, what are the new prices going to be tomorrow in the supermarkets," teacher Ayse Demirel said in Ankara.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition CHP party, said he would start public rallies to push for early elections.
"The more value the Turkish lira loses, the more pleased Erdogan is because this situation is serving dollar lords," Kilicdaroglu said last week.
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