A full 35.5 percent of the Turkish public thinks that Turkey’s recent economic deterioration is the most urgent problem facing the country, according to a new survey, Hürriyet daily columnist Abdülkadir Selvi reported.
Among women, 38.8 percent share that opinion, while 32.2 percent of men do.
Turkey suffered a currency crisis last summer, with the national currency in free fall, subsequently leading to high inflation.
The study, conducted by the Optimar polling company on 2,523 people across Turkey, also indicates that 25.7 percent of Turks see unemployment as the most important danger, whereas 14.7 percent list terrorism as the major threat.
Turkey’s unemployment rate stands at 11.6 percent, according to recent data.
The experts in particular highlight anticipated social problems stemming from youth unemployment, which increased to 22.3 percent in October over the same month of 2017.
The survey also asked participants whether they would take part in street protests over high prices and the poor economy similar to the yellow vest movement in France, which has been protesting gasoline price hikes and the country’s political leadership.
A total of 28.2 percent of respondents said, “Yes, I would.”
More than 60 percent of participants support a military operation east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria against Kurdish militia.
According to the study the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) still has the support of 45.5 percent of the public, while the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has 28.6 percent, AKP ally the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) 7.6 percent and the Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) 7.6 percent.
However, some 27 percent of respondents said they had not yet decided which party they would support in the local elections scheduled for March.
The study also indicates that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the country’s favored leader with an approval rating of 25 percent, followed by CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who garnered some 9 percent.