More than 50 percent of Turks believe that religion will have a diminishing influence on society in Turkey in the future, according to a recent opinion poll conducted by Metropoll. The results of the survey, known as „Turkey’s Pulse,“ were announced by Professor Özer Sencar, the owner of the company, on X.
The survey, which was conducted on 1,699 people across 28 provinces in Turkey from July 12-16, asked participants about their views on the future influence of religion on society. The majority of respondents, 50.9 percent, believed that „religion’s influence will decline,“ while only 23.8 percent thought the opposite. A smaller percentage, 17.2 percent, believed that religion’s influence would remain the same.
Interestingly, the largest group among those who felt that religion would have a diminishing influence in Turkey consisted of supporters of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), at 53.4 percent. They were followed by voters from two allied parties: the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) at 43.9 percent, and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) at 42.8 percent.
According to the survey results, a significant portion of AKP supporters, 30.2 percent, believed that „religion’s influence will increase“ in the future. This was followed by supporters of the MHP at 24.3 percent and the CHP at 22.2 percent.
Professor Sencar commented on the results, stating, „I think the more politics deals with religion and tries to increase its influence on society, the more the influence of religion on society will decrease.“ This sentiment reflects the growing disillusionment among Turks with the AKP’s increasingly authoritarian governance and its use of Islamist rhetoric.
Turkey is officially a secular state, despite being predominantly Muslim. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed his desire to raise „pious generations,“ which has raised concerns among more liberal Turks who fear that his rule is eroding the country’s secular foundations.
Critics of Erdoğan and his AKP government argue that their policies attack the lifestyle of secular individuals and impose a religious lifestyle on the population. This has led to tensions within Turkish society, with many questioning the role of religious sects and the country’s religious directorate (Diyanet).
Overall, the survey results highlight the complex relationship between religion and politics in Turkey and the differing views on the future influence of religion on society. As the country navigates these challenges, it will be interesting to see how these dynamics continue to evolve in the coming years.