People walk at Eminonu Square decorated by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party flags ahead of the May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections, in Istanbul, Turkey May 10, 2023. (Credit: Murad Sezer/Reuters)
A survey by the closely-watched
pollster Konda on Thursday showed Turkish President Tayyip
Erdogan lagging behind his main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu by more than
five percentage points ahead of Sunday's presidential election.
The survey put support for Erdogan on 43.7 percent and Kilicdaroglu on 49.3 percent, leaving him short of the majority needed to win in the first round, suggesting the election would go to a run-off between the two men on May 28.
The findings reinforced the impression that Erdogan faces the biggest challenge of his two-decade rule in the vote. They were largely in line with some other polls that put Kilicdaroglu, candidate of the main opposition alliance, ahead.
The survey, carried out May 6-7, put support for the other two candidates at 4.8 percent for Sinan Ogan and 2.2 percent for Muharrem Ince. Konda said the majority of their voters were leaning towards voting for Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).
The elections will take place three months after a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and left millions homeless.
Konda, which publicly releases only one poll ahead of votes, undertook face-to-face interviews with 3,480 people across 35 provincial centers.
pollster Konda on Thursday showed Turkish President Tayyip
Erdogan lagging behind his main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu by more than
five percentage points ahead of Sunday's presidential election.
The survey put support for Erdogan on 43.7 percent and Kilicdaroglu
on 49.3 percent, leaving him short of the majority needed to win in...