site.btaTurkish Opposition CHP Narrowly Leads AK Party in New Poll, Majority Support Imamoglu Trial Broadcast

According to a recent nationwide survey conducted by research company PanoramaTR between July 14 and 19 with 2,055 participants in Turkiye, if elections were held this Sunday, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) would lead the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) by 1.5 percentage points, reports TurkiyeToday Monday.

CHP tops the polls with 29.5% of votes, followed by the AK Party with 28%. Far behind but still third is the Democracy and Progress Party with 5.8%, followed by the MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) with 4.1%, and the Zafer Party (Victory Party) with 3.3%. Four parties get 2% and lower: Yeniden Refah Party (New Welfare Party) with 2%, Anahtar Party (Key Party) with 1.9%, Iyi Party (Good Party) with 1.8% and BBP (Great Union Party) with 1.4%. 20% are undecided.

Additionally, 77.5% of participants support broadcasting the Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s trial live on state-run TV TRT, while 16.3% oppose and 8.2% remain neutral.

In March 2025, Istanbul’s mayor and leading opposition figure, Ekrem Imamoglu, was arrested on charges including corruption, bribery, money laundering, and support for terrorism. The arrest, part of a wider investigation involving many others, triggered widespread protests across Turkiye and drew criticism from European institutions and rights groups as politically motivated. In mid-July, Imamoglu was further sentenced to one year and eight months in prison for insulting and threatening the Istanbul chief prosecutor, a conviction critics say is another attempt to sideline him in the lead-up to future elections

Regarding the recent detentions and arrests of CHP-affiliated mayors, 57.1% believe this is a political process, whereas 30.3% argue it is legally justified.

The survey also asked about the government’s “Turkiye Without Terror” peace process. 59.1% support the PKK’s disarmament process, 36.1% oppose it, and 4.8% are undecided, reports TurkiyeToday.