Poll shows Erdogan at the forefront for re-election

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
3 Mar 13:31

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receives 43% of the support of those polled when asked which presidential candidate they supported in the upcoming elections.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, talks to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting at Esenboga airport in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, February 20, 2023. (AP)

An opinion poll conducted by Optimar, in Turkey, revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a clear advantage over his nearest opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, as 43% of Turkish citizens would likely re-elect him in the upcoming elections, said.

From February 19 through February 23, about 2,000 people across Turkey's 26 provinces participated in the first poll undertaken since the devastating earthquake hit the country.

With Erdogan receiving 43.2% of the votes according to the poll, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the head of the Republican People's Party, would receive 13.5% of the vote, while Ankara's mayor, Mansur Yavas, would receive 11.8%.

Ekrem Imamoglu, the current mayor of Istanbul, according to the poll, received the support of 8.8% of the respondents.

When asked whether they believe the election will take place as usual or if it may be postponed, over 72% of respondents said they are confident the election will be conducted on time.