Poll Shows Deep Public Dissatisfaction With Türkiye’s Economic Management

A new survey reveals overwhelming public dissatisfaction with how Türkiye’s economy is being managed, cutting across political lines. At the same time, separate polling suggests a competitive presidential race, with opposition figures leading President Erdoğan in most scenarios and CHP maintaining a narrow lead in a potential early election.

Majority Says Economy Is “Poorly Managed”

A recent survey conducted by Ankara-based research firm ANK-AR highlights widespread concern over economic governance in Türkiye.

According to results shared by Research Director Mert Uzunsoy, only 11.8% of respondents believe the economy is being well managed, while a striking 83.4% say it is poorly managed. Another 4.7% reported having no opinion.

The dissatisfaction appears to extend across nearly all voter groups:

• Among supporters of the ruling AKP, 67.2% say the economy is poorly managed
• Among MHP voters, the figure stands at 69.4%
• Among opposition voters:
  • CHP and İYİ Party voters: nearly 99% negative
  • DEM Party voters: 94.2% negative
  • Yeniden Refah Party (YRP) voters: 88.7% negative
  • Anahtar Party voters: 89.1% negative
• Even among undecided voters, 78.6% expressed dissatisfaction

The findings suggest that concerns over economic management have become one of the most unifying issues across Türkiye’s political spectrum.

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Presidential Race: Opposition Candidates Lead

A separate ANK-AR survey conducted between March 23–25 across 28 provinces with 2,004 participants explored potential presidential election scenarios.

Yavaş vs Erdoğan

If Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş were to run against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Yavaş would secure 53.8%, leading by a margin of 7.5 points.

İmamoğlu vs Erdoğan

In a scenario where jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu runs, he also leads with 53.3%, ahead of Erdoğan.

Özel vs Erdoğan

However, if CHP leader Özgür Özel becomes the candidate, the race tightens. Özel receives 49.5%, trailing Erdoğan slightly.

Early Election Scenario: CHP Maintains Lead

Analyst Murat Kızılboğa also shared projections for a potential early election, indicating that the opposition could maintain its advantage.

According to the analysis:

• CHP: 33.5%
• AKP: 30.4%
• DEM Party: 9.3%
• MHP: 6.3% (below the parliamentary threshold)

These estimates suggest a potential shift in parliamentary balance if early elections were held.

Context: 2023 Election Benchmark

For comparison, in the May 2023 general elections:

• AKP secured 35.6% and 268 seats
• CHP received 25.3% and 169 seats
• MHP gained 10.1%
• İYİ Party: 9.7%
• Green Left Party: 8.8%

The latest polling indicates a narrowing gap between the ruling bloc and the opposition, alongside growing economic discontent.

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Takeaway

The data points to two parallel trends shaping Türkiye’s political landscape:

• Economic dissatisfaction has become widespread and cross-partisan
• The opposition remains competitive, particularly in presidential scenarios

If these trends persist, both economic management and electoral strategy are likely to dominate the political agenda in the months ahead.