ANKARA: The man challenging Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey’s presidential elections this weekend received a boost on Thursday when a small party candidate abruptly withdrew and a poll gave him a more than five percentage point advantage.
The withdrawal by Muharrem Ince, one of four contesting Sunday’s presidential vote, could reshape the last days of campaigning.
The survey by pollster Konda put support for Erdogan on 43.7 per cent and Kilicdaroglu on 49.3 per cent, leaving him short of the majority needed to win in the first round and suggesting the election would go to a run-off on May 28.
The survey was carried out May 6-7, before Ince’s announcement. “The possibility of Kemal Kilicdaroglu winning has increased with Ince’s withdrawal. I would not be surprised if he got 51%,” said Bekir Agirdir, manager of Konda.