A recent survey by Reaksiyon Research indicates that 58 percent of İstanbul residents would consider voting for current mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in the next election.
İmamoğlu, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, was elected the city’s mayor in the local elections of 2019, ending years-long Justice and Development Party (AKP) rule in the city.
The survey, involving 1,105 residents aged 18 and above across İstanbul’s 39 districts, reveals a significant inclination towards İmamoğlu’s candidacy.
While 29 percent of participants find İmamoğlu successful, 22 percent deem him unsuccessful, and 25 percent hold a neutral view.
Furthermore, 13 percent regard him as very successful, and 11 percent as very unsuccessful.
A noteworthy 42 percent, however, indicated a firm stance against voting for İmamoğlu, with half citing his affiliation with the CHP as a key reason.
Disapproval of his municipal services and personal dislike were other factors for the opposition to his candidacy.
The survey also identified public transportation and infrastructure services as critical issues for İstanbul residents.
Local elections will be held in Turkey in March 2024, in which the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will try to win back important municipalities such as İstanbul and Ankara, which were won by the CHP in 2019.