AKP shaken but still ahead, surveys suggest
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Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 11, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - With less than three weeks left to local elections, the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, is losing votes, not because of progress by its ideological rivals but as a result of economic frustrations, polls suggest
The latest election surveys suggest the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, remains superior to other parties in voter preference, but unlikely to sustain the dominance it has enjoyed in past elections.
AG Survey Company has released poll data that shows AKP province mayoralty votes might fall just below 40 percent nationwide in the local elections March 29. "People will punish the government for the effects of the economic crisis," Adil Gür, owner of AG, told the daily Taraf.
"The AKP might lose 3 to 4 percent of what it had in the 2004 local elections, but it might also lose 15 to 20 percent of municipalities it holds if voters choose to rally against it," Gür said.
The AKP is likely to encounter a major decline in the East due to misguided candidate nominations, Gür said. "AKP vote share will drop to 45 percent from 60 percent in the Eastern Anatolia. In Diyarbakır, the Democratic Society Party, or DTP will get 55 percent while the AKP will take 35," Gür said.
The AKP still dominates Istanbul however, according to MetroPoll Survey’s latest poll, which put AKP Istanbul mayoral candidate Kadir Topbaş’s votes at 43.6 percent. Main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP’s Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who has increased his public appearances in Istanbul lately, can get only 23.5 percent, according to the poll. Voters with a high school diploma or lower were more likely to favor Topbaş, while people with college degrees and higher tended to support Kılıçdaroğlu, the poll revealed.
The AKP received 45.3 percent of votes in Istanbul in the 2004 local elections, followed by CHP with 28.9 percent. Interviewees who said they would vote for AKP in the case of a general election made up 36.4 percent of total, while CHP was preferred by 19.5 percent. Thirty-eight percent of the interviewees said they were undecided or left the question on general elections unanswered. The SONAR survey company released a poll that indicates AKP candidate Melih Gökçek, Ankara mayor since 1994, has wrestled the top position from his main rival Murat Karayalçın from the CHP.
Research Companies
MetroPOLL Strategic and Social Research Center is based in Ankara and regularly conducts public-opinion surveys on voter behavior, often tying its surveys to current issues. SONAR Research and Marketing Company is based in Istanbul and generally reflects current trends in political orientations. AG Research Company is based in Istanbul and has branches in 12 cities. It specializes in media research, as well as surveys on consumer behavior.
AG Survey Company has released poll data that shows AKP province mayoralty votes might fall just below 40 percent nationwide in the local elections March 29. "People will punish the government for the effects of the economic crisis," Adil Gür, owner of AG, told the daily Taraf.
"The AKP might lose 3 to 4 percent of what it had in the 2004 local elections, but it might also lose 15 to 20 percent of municipalities it holds if voters choose to rally against it," Gür said.
The AKP is likely to encounter a major decline in the East due to misguided candidate nominations, Gür said. "AKP vote share will drop to 45 percent from 60 percent in the Eastern Anatolia. In Diyarbakır, the Democratic Society Party, or DTP will get 55 percent while the AKP will take 35," Gür said.
The AKP still dominates Istanbul however, according to MetroPoll Survey’s latest poll, which put AKP Istanbul mayoral candidate Kadir Topbaş’s votes at 43.6 percent. Main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP’s Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who has increased his public appearances in Istanbul lately, can get only 23.5 percent, according to the poll. Voters with a high school diploma or lower were more likely to favor Topbaş, while people with college degrees and higher tended to support Kılıçdaroğlu, the poll revealed.
The AKP received 45.3 percent of votes in Istanbul in the 2004 local elections, followed by CHP with 28.9 percent. Interviewees who said they would vote for AKP in the case of a general election made up 36.4 percent of total, while CHP was preferred by 19.5 percent. Thirty-eight percent of the interviewees said they were undecided or left the question on general elections unanswered. The SONAR survey company released a poll that indicates AKP candidate Melih Gökçek, Ankara mayor since 1994, has wrestled the top position from his main rival Murat Karayalçın from the CHP.
Research Companies
MetroPOLL Strategic and Social Research Center is based in Ankara and regularly conducts public-opinion surveys on voter behavior, often tying its surveys to current issues. SONAR Research and Marketing Company is based in Istanbul and generally reflects current trends in political orientations. AG Research Company is based in Istanbul and has branches in 12 cities. It specializes in media research, as well as surveys on consumer behavior.