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Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Turkey’s Ruling AKP Leads All Rivals
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Justice and Development Party (AKP) remains the most popular political organization in Turkey, according to a poll by Sonar. 39.41 per cent of respondents would vote for the governing party in the next legislative election.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) is second with 22.61 per cent, followed by the National Action Party (MHP) with 16.19 per cent. Support is lower for the Democratic Society Party (DTP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the Turkish Democratic Party (DP), the Youth Party (GP), the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the Felicity Party (SP).
Turkish voters renewed the Great National Assembly in July 2007. Final results gave the AKP 46.6 per cent of the vote and 341 seats in the legislature. Parties require at least 10 per cent of the vote to earn seats under the country’s proportional representation system. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a member of the AKP, has served as prime minister since March 2003.
On Mar. 14, Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, Turkey’s chief prosecutor of the Court of Appeals, filed a lawsuit in the country’s Constitution Court demanding the closure of the AKP for allegedly jeopardizing Turkey’s secularist nature by trying to implement Islamic rule. The Court has not decided yet whether it will take the case.
On Mar. 17, Erdogan denied the accusations, saying that his party—which does have Islamist roots—is not trying to instate Islamic rule in the country. The Turkish prime minister added that portraying the AKP as close to fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism is plain "unseriousness".
Polling Data
What party would you support in the next parliamentary election?
|
Justice and Development Party (AKP) |
39.41% |
|
Republican People’s Party (CHP) |
22.61% |
|
National Action Party (MHP) |
16.19% |
|
Democratic Society Party (DTP) |
4.28% |
|
Democratic Left Party (DSP) |
3.84% |
|
Turkish Democratic Party (DP) |
3.68% |
|
Youth Party (GP) |
3.29% |
|
Motherland Party (ANAP) |
2.74% |
|
Felicity Party (SP) |
2.25% |
Source: Sonar
Methodology: Interviews with 2,264 Turk adults, conducted from Jan. 15 to Feb. 10, 2008. Margin of error is 2.0 per cent.