Public support for the Turkish government’s Middle East policy has surpassed criticism for the first time in more than a decade, according to a new survey, a shift that coincides with Ankara’s stance in the US-Israel war on Iran, the Karar daily reported.
The poll, conducted by MetroPOLL Research between March 11 and 16, suggests a noteworthy shift in how voters view Turkey’s foreign policy as regional tensions escalate.
The war began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched large-scale airstrikes targeting Iranian military and government sites, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks on Israel as well as US assets across the Middle East.
Several rockets and ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward NATO territory, including Turkey, were intercepted by allied air defense systems, reflecting the risk of a wider regional spillover. A ceasefire was announced on Tuesday after weeks of fighting, though uncertainty remains over how long it will hold.
Respondents were asked how they evaluate the government’s Middle East policy. A total of 48.1 percent described it as successful, while 45.8 percent said it was unsuccessful. Another 6.1 percent said they had no opinion or declined to answer.
Turkey’s Pulse March'26 Report is out.
This month, we focus on the implications of the US–Iran–Israel conflict for Turkey. The report tracks public sentiment across security, the economy, societal debates, and political developments.
For further information: info@metropoll.com.tr pic.twitter.com/RpSjRioi7S— MetroPOLL Araştırma (@metropoll) April 6, 2026
The findings mark the first time since 2013 that positive assessments have exceeded negative opinions, reversing a longstanding trend of public skepticism.
Since the start of the war, Turkey has sought to stay out of the conflict, calling on all sides to halt hostilities. Turkish officials have also warned that Ankara could take action if its territory comes under threat after several missiles launched from Iran entered Turkish airspace and were intercepted by NATO defense systems. Iran, however, has denied deliberately targeting Turkey.
MetroPOLL’s comparative data show that since December 2013, those who viewed the policy as unsuccessful consistently exceeded those who saw it as successful. In December 2014, for example, 54.8 percent called it unsuccessful, compared to 35.8 percent who said it was successful.
The shift in public opinion also comes after years of criticism over Turkey’s earlier Middle East policies, particularly during the Syrian civil war.
At the outset of the conflict in 2011, the Turkish government backed opposition forces and was widely seen as expecting the swift fall of the regime of then-Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
However, as the war dragged on for years, Turkey faced significant security and political challenges, including the arrival of millions of refugees, which became a major source of domestic criticism of its regional policy.
The survey also revealed sharp political divides among voters. Supporters of the ruling alliance expressed strong approval of the government’s approach, with 82.9 percent of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) voters and 72.2 percent of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voters calling the policy successful.
By contrast, opposition voters largely viewed the policy negatively. Among supporters of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), 77.6 percent said it was unsuccessful, along with 78.6 percent of pro-Kurdish DEM Party voters and 66.2 percent of İYİ (Good) Party voters.
Despite this divide, the consolidation of support among ruling bloc voters, along with shifts among undecided or protest voters, appears to have pushed overall approval into positive territory.
The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviews with 1,186 respondents across 28 provinces in Turkey.