More than 61 percent of Turks think the country’s economic situation will deteriorate further in the next six months, while nearly 58 percent want elections to be held earlier, the T24 news website reported, citing the results of a recent survey.
The findings come from the “Turkey’s Preferences Survey” conducted by SONAR, a research company that has been a pioneer in Turkey’s polling sector since 1988.
The survey found that 61.3 percent of respondents expect the economic situation in the country to worsen in the next six months, while 64.8 percent of respondents reported a decline in their financial situation over the past year, despite messages about economic recovery from government officials.
Additionally, 65.3 percent said they struggled to meet basic needs like food as well as to pay for rent and utility bills in the last six months.
Turkey’s economy has faced significant challenges since 2018, marked by high inflation, a currency declining in value and rising unemployment. The economic crisis, exacerbated by political instability and global financial trends, has severely impacted households across the country.
Turkey’s poor have been hit the hardest by the financial deterioration that saw the official annual inflation rate reach a decades-long high of 85 percent in October 2022.
It slowed for a ninth consecutive month in February, falling below 40 percent for the first time since June 2023, but the ENAG group of independent economists disputes the official inflation rate, estimating it at 79.5 percent for February — more than double the figure released by the statistics agency.
Only three out of 10 respondents said they faced no difficulties paying basic expenses like bills and rent.
Only 12.5 percent of respondents reported an improvement in their financial situation over the past year.
University graduates, citizens over the age of 65 and women were the groups most affected by income erosion, with more than 65 percent of them reporting a loss in their income.
The survey showed 57.8 percent of respondents want early elections, which according to analysts indicates that in addition to economic uncertainty, current government policies are seen as inadequate by a large segment of the public.
Turkey’s next general election is scheduled for 2028.
Only 15 percent of those surveyed believe in a recent claim by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz who said last month, “Confidence in the Turkish lira is increasing, and our reserves are breaking record after record,” while 70.1 percent found it unconvincing.
A striking 83.8 percent identified cost of living, education and poverty as Turkey’s most pressing issues.