Turkey’s election results prove it – we need to rethink political polls

When it comes to elections, common sense should always prevail over polling results, writes Borzou Daragahi

Like it or not, polls have an impact (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

In the run-up to Turkey’s presidential elections an overwhelming number of analysts, journalists and politicians predicted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would fare poorly against challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who was slated to win the vote in the first round.

There were analytical reasons for the widespread conclusion – a failing economy, record-high inflation and a flawed rescue and recovery response to the recent earthquake disaster. But by and large, the assumption was based on multiple polls that showed Kilicdaroglu ahead. Even Erdogan’s camp seemed at times perturbed by the polling figures.

It need not have been. After nearly clinching a majority in the first round, Erdogan won the decisive 28 May second round of the election with 52 per cent of the vote. On Saturday, Erdogan was sworn in for another five-year term as president while envoys from 80 countries, including dozens of prime ministers and presidents, looked on.