Polls & Research

AKP Would Win Election in Turkey

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many Turkish adults would back the country's most powerful political party in the next parliamentary election, according to a poll by Sonar. 29.04 per cent of respondents would vote for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in this year's Great National Assembly ballot.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) is a distant second with 14.08 per cent, followed by the National Action Party (MHP) with 12.18 per cent, the True Path Party (DYP) with 12.07 per cent, the Youth Party (GP) with 10.07 per cent, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) with 8.27 per cent, and the Motherland Party (ANAP) with 8.03 per cent. Support is lower for the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Grand Unity Party (BBP).

In the November 2002 ballot, the right-leaning AKP elected 363 lawmakers to the 550-seat legislative branch. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a member of the AKP, has served as prime minister since March 2003. The next legislative election in Turkey is scheduled for Jul. 22.

Last month, the AKP proposed foreign minister Abdullah Gul, an ex-Islamist, for the presidency. The nomination sparked fierce opposition by Turkey's political and civilian secularists, which eventually led to Gul's withdrawal from the race.

In Turkey, the president—regarded as the country's highest civilian secular figure—is elected to a single seven-year term by the Great National Assembly. On May 10, Turkey's legislators passed a bill which seeks to change the constitution and allow for the election of the president by popular vote. The motion has to be reviewed by the Constitutional Court before it becomes law. Gul has said he intends to become his party's candidate if there is a direct election.

On May 5, ANAP and the DYP united to create the Turkish Democratic Party (DP), which will be headed by former DYP leader Mehmet Agar.

Polling Data

What party would you support in the next parliamentary election?