Istanbul-
Recent Polls Suggest Erdogan’s Imminent Defeat in the First Round of Elections
According to the projections of the nation’s foremost polling organizations, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing a considerable risk of losing in the first round of elections scheduled for Sunday, May 14th. Having served as both Prime Minister and President for the last 20 years, Erdogan’s tenure may soon end.
Polling firms MAK and ORC, which accurately predicted Erdogan’s 52.5% victory in the 2018 general elections, are now forecasting that the opposition will win the presidential election in the first round.
This means that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the 70-year-old leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), who has faced over ten defeats against Erdogan in the past, is poised for a historic triumph.
After a brief illness during a live broadcast two weeks ago, Erdogan focused his campaign on criminalizing the opposition by making accusations against the LGBTI community and portraying them as allies of the PKK terrorist organization upon his return to the rally podiums.
On the contrary, Kılıçdaroğlu took a more subdued and calculated approach during his campaign, collaborating with the leaders of conservative, nationalist, liberal, and Islamist parties, as well as the mayors of Ankara and Istanbul.
As the year 2023 marks the centenary of the Republic of Turkey, the election day of May 14th symbolizes the country’s transition from single-party rule in the 1950 elections.