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Türkiye is set for a major reshuffle in its top military ranks when the Supreme Military Council meets in Ankara on Aug. 5 under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The annual gathering of senior political and military leaders will decide key promotions, retirements and extensions of service that will shape the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) command structure.
“We hope that the decisions of the Supreme Military Council, which will be announced following the approval of our president, will be beneficial to our state, our nation and our armed forces,” a Defense Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.
The Supreme Military Council meeting is expected to be attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Chief of General Staff Gen. Metin Gürak, Land Forces Commander Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Naval Forces Commander Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, and Air Forces Commander Gen. Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu.
Council tradition
The tradition of high-level military councils in Türkiye dates back to the Ottoman era, with the first Supreme Military Council established in 1837 under Sultan Mahmud II. Initially tasked with drafting military regulations, resolving service-related issues, and adapting Western military practices, the council underwent several reorganizations and periods of abolition in the late Ottoman period.
Following the founding of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923, the modern Supreme Military Council was formally established in 1925. Its early role was to operate in peacetime, advising on military affairs and promotions, with the president serving as its ex officio chair.
Over the decades, its structure and leadership evolved, reflecting shifts in Türkiye’s political system and civil-military relations.
During the multiparty era that followed 1946, the prime minister assumed the chairmanship, and membership was adjusted to include senior commanders and select ministers. The council’s mandate became more formalized in 1972 under Law No. 1612, focusing on promotions, retirements and strategic planning.
The council’s authority and composition shifted significantly after major political events, including the 1980 military coup and, most recently, the Gülenist Terrorist Group’s (FETÖ) failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016.
Post-2016 reforms expanded civilian oversight and aligned the council’s procedures with Türkiye’s transition to a presidential system in 2018, making the president its chair and broadening ministerial participation.
Today, the Supreme Military Council meets annually to decide on promotions, retirements and extensions of service for senior officers. While its core mission remains military personnel management, the council also serves as a symbolic and strategic forum reflecting the balance between civilian authority and military leadership in modern Türkiye.
Law revisions
This year’s council meeting is also preceded by Parliament debates on a motion to revise promotion rules for senior officers.
The draft would raise the cap on generals and admirals allowed to extend their service from 36 to 60 and, in exceptional cases, from 47 to 75 with top-level approval. It would also increase the age limit for force commanders from 65 to 67, with presidential extensions possible up to 72 years old.
The proposal relaxes requirements for promotion to top ranks by dropping the need for certain command and staff training, treating military academy graduation as sufficient. An impact analysis says that the changes aim to retain experienced commanders, address staffing gaps created by past dismissals and meet the Turkish Armed Forces’ operational needs.
