Kılıçdaroğlu beats Erdoğan in election, survey shows

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Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is leading against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the upcoming presidential election, the most recent survey by private pollster ORC Research revealed.

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu received 56.8 percent of votes in a question where he was competing with the president for his office, and Erdoğan received merely 43.2 percent.

The respondents were asked “Which candidate would you vote for in the situation that Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu compete for the office?”

ORC Research said the survey was conducted between March 4 and 6, right before Kılıçdaroğlu announced his candidacy and in the midst of the political turmoil of the main opposition Nation Alliance.

Good (İYİ) Party leader Meral Akşener on March 3 announced her departure from the opposition Nation Alliance due to CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s expected candidacy for the 2023 presidential elections, one day after the alliance's last meeting. She said that she would be in the alliance if CHP's Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş would be instead nominated for the role, adding Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy was being imposed on their party.

On March 6, İmamoğlu and Yavaş visited Akşener at the İYİ Party headquarters. After the meeting, İYİ Party spokesperson Kürşad Zorlu announced that Akşener will participate in the Nation Alliance leaders meeting on the same day and will return to the alliance if İmamoğlu and Yavaş are included in the new cabinet as vice presidents.

The Nation Alliance on March 6 announced Kılıçdaroğlu’s candidacy. Six leaders also agreed on İmamoğlu and Yavaş being vice presidents. The five leaders of the alliance other than Kılıçdaroğlu will also become vice presidents should they assume power.

2023 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections are expected to be held on May 14. 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Turkish Republic.