Egyptians admire Turkish PM the most: poll

WASHINGTON

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The majority of Egyptians see Turkey as a model for the role of Islam in the political system, and choose Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as their most admired leader, according to a poll made by the Brookings Institution. The poll contradicts earlier research by the Pew Research Center, which suggested that Egyptians saw Saudi Arabia as a better model.

In envisioning the role Islam should play in the Egyptian political system, respondents in the Brookings poll were asked to choose which of six models (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tunisia, Malaysia, Morocco) was closest to their aspirations, with a majority choosing Turkey (54 percent), followed by Saudi Arabia (32 percent). The recent survey made by Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project indicated that 61 percent of Egyptians saw Saudi Arabia as a more suitable model than Turkey (17 percent) for the role religion should play in politics and society.

When asked in an open question to choose the leader they admired most in the world outside of Egypt, 63 percent identified Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while five percent each identified U.S. President Barack Obama and Saudi King Abdullah. Asked which leader they wanted their next president to most resemble in an open question not excluding Egyptians, 35 percent identified Anwar Sadat, 26 percent Gamal Abdel Nasser, and 15 percent Erdoğan. Sadat signed the peace treaty with Israel that ended 30 years of war in 1979.

In a world where there is only one superpower, asked which country (other than Egypt) they would like to be that superpower, 41 percent of Egyptians chose Turkey, while 25 percent preferred Saudi Arabia.