Bekir Ağırdır: Is Turkish Society Searching for a Strong Leader — or a Just Hero?

New research reveals a deep societal paradox: Turkey’s citizens yearn for both justice and authority, caught between the need for fairness and the desire for a savior figure.

Mr Bekir Agirdir is former CEO of respected polling agency KONDA, now a researcher

The “Hero” Mirror of a Divided Society

Every society carries its own myths of heroism — stories that define collective values and reflect future aspirations. For Turkey, these myths are fractured along historical and cultural lines.

According to Bekir Ağırdır’s latest analysis based on Veri Pusulası’s September survey, Turkey’s “hero” narrative today says less about the past and more about a longing for justice, trust, and hope amid social fatigue.

Different segments of society imagine different beginnings to history — 1071, 1453, or 1923 — while ignoring the 12,000 years of Anatolian civilization revealed by Göbeklitepe. These competing histories shape today’s fragmented sense of identity and collective imagination.

Data Show a “Hero Gap” and a Broken Chain of Values

Ağırdır notes that one in four respondents said they never had a childhood hero, and seven out of ten young people believe today’s youth lack any positive role models. This signals a rupture in the transmission of values — a generation growing up without stories or symbols of hope.

As he puts it, “A childhood without heroes is the prelude to a future without hope or direction.”

Justice, Trust, Hope: The Moral Axes of Today’s Turkey

Survey data suggest that Turkey’s social psyche revolves around three key coordinates: justice, trust, and hope. Individuals locate themselves emotionally within these axes — and when justice or trust collapses, anger fills the void.

Justice emerges as the defining expectation:

• 65% say “a hero must be just.”

• 56% believe a hero’s main strength should be “ensuring fairness and equality.”

• When asked what society most wants from its heroes, 40% chose “justice.”

This means the quest for justice has left the courtroom and entered the national psyche. In today’s Turkey, heroism itself has been redefined as restoring fairness where fairness no longer exists.

What Kind of Leader Does Society Want?

When asked what leadership style best fits Turkey’s future, respondents answered:

• 37%: a protective, supportive leader who prioritizes social welfare

• 19%: a rational, analytical leader who relies on knowledge and reason

• 16%: an authoritative figure who establishes order and takes responsibility

Overall, 67% of the population say they need heroes more than in the past, particularly among youth, women, and opposition voters.

For many, the “hero” metaphor represents an escape from personal powerlessness — a projection of the need for justice, protection, and direction in an unpredictable world.

Turkey’s Happiness Peaked in 2011, Then Declined Sharply

The Paradox: Between Strength and Justice

Ağırdır’s data also reveal a profound contradiction:

• 45% believe Turkey needs “a strong leader who can break the rules if necessary.”

• 30% oppose rule-breaking leaders, while 24% remain undecided.
  Yet the same society overwhelmingly says its heroes must be just.

This paradox, he argues, reflects collective helplessness.

“In the absence of justice, people cling to power; under the weight of power, they call for justice again.”

Turkey’s citizens want both authority and fairness, craving a leader who can strike the table with one hand and deliver justice with the other. This tension fuels both populist leadership and public disillusionment.

Generational Differences and the “Role Model Void”

Generational divides also shape how heroism is imagined:

• Youth associate heroism with courage

• Middle-aged citizens emphasize patience

• Older generations value wisdom

But the younger generation increasingly believes, “I must be my own hero.” Many see no credible role models in politics or society. Disturbingly, when asked what “superpower” they would choose, the most common answer among youth was “unlimited financial power.”

Even the imagination of heroism, Ağırdır notes, has been compressed by economic anxiety.

Beyond Politics: The Heroism Test for Institutions and Brands

The hero narrative extends beyond politics. Most respondents view corporate heroism as image management, not genuine social responsibility. Only 17% believe brands act out of real public benefit.

For young people, the key measure of heroism is how companies treat their employees during crises. In fact, 36% of youth cite workers’ rights as their top priority in evaluating “corporate heroes.”

Interestingly, the education sector ranked highest in social heroism perception — a sign that people still tie the idea of heroism to children’s future and learning opportunities.

Searching for Justice, Not a Savior

Ağırdır concludes that the Turkish public’s yearning for heroes is ultimately a confession of lost trust in institutions.

“The more society looks for personal heroes, the weaker its institutional foundations become. Justice cannot be built by heroes — only by institutions.”

In truth, the longing for a hero masks a deeper wish: to live in a country where justice, trust, and hope no longer require a hero to exist.

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