Sixty-seven percent of Turks oppose another presidential bid by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to a new nationwide poll.
A recent poll from the Saros Political and Social Research Center conducted between June 16 and 23 reflects growing public unease amid deepening economic hardship, concerns over the justice system and doubts about government accountability.
Saros surveyed 11,102 participants across 26 provinces and 162 districts. According to the findings, 87.9 percent of respondents said there is a serious problem with the justice system in Turkey. Among them, 79.1 percent described the issue as severe, while 8.8 percent said it exists to some extent.
The poll, conducted via telephone and WhatsApp interviews, has a margin of error of approximately plus or minus 1 percentage point.
The survey also found that 71.8 percent of respondents favor holding a general election earlier than the scheduled date in 2028. When asked to name the most pressing issue facing the country, 40.1 percent cited the economy, followed by justice-related concerns at 20.8 percent.
The results suggest that widespread dissatisfaction with both economic performance and the legal system is fueling public demand for political change.
The poll also indicated mistrust in legal and institutional oversight. A total of 79.6 percent of respondents believe that municipalities run by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are not being properly investigated. In addition 72.5 percent said they believe Erdoğan’s push for a new constitution is aimed primarily at clearing a legal path for him to run again rather than introducing genuine institutional reforms.
The Saros results align with other recent national polling.
A separate July 2025 survey by ORC Research, which regularly tracks political sentiment in Turkey, showed a tight race between the country’s two main parties. According to ORC, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has 30.5 percent support, while the AKP stands at 30.0 percent. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party came in at 7.6 percent, and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an AKP ally, polled at 7.4 percent.
When voters were asked which political party they trust most to solve the country’s core problems, 15.6 percent selected the CHP, 13.9 percent chose the AKP and a striking 47.7 percent said they do not trust any party to fix the country’s issues, pointing to a high level of disillusionment with politics.
In a potential presidential race, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key CHP figure, appears to have a strong advantage over Erdoğan. A June 2025 poll by Ank-Ar Research found that İmamoğlu would receive 58.6 percent of the vote, compared to 41.4 percent for Erdoğan — a lead of 17.2 points. According to multiple reports, this gap has widened by more than 15 points since October 2024.
The polling comes as İmamoğlu faces serious legal troubles. He was put in pretrial detention in March 2025 on corruption charges, a move condemned by the European Union and major international human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Many critics say the charges are politically motivated. Despite the legal pressure — or perhaps because of it — İmamoğlu’s popularity is increasing, particularly among younger voters and residents of major cities.
Although Erdoğa retains the support of a loyal base — estimated at around 40 percent of voters — recent polling suggests public attitudes are shifting. If pressure for early elections continues to build, Turkey’s political landscape could be on the verge of a major transformation.