An opinion poll indicates that 40 percent of the supporters of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) see the establishment of new political parties as necessary, the Gazete Duvar news website reported.
The poll, conducted across 30 provinces by the MAK Consulting Company, indicated that the AKP has maintained its place at the top, with 38 percent of participants saying they would vote for it if an election were to be held today.
However, 40 percent of those who indicated that they had previously voted for the AKP said the establishment of new political parties is necessary.
The poll was conducted after two former AKP members launched breakaway political movements to challenge the AKP’s 17-year rule.
Former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu recently started his Future Party (GP), and former cabinet member Ali Babacan has said he will announce the name of his party in early 2020.
The AKP was followed by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) with 24.4 percent, which is close to its usual support in the last few elections.
The AKP’s ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), as well as its breakaway nationalist rival, the İYİ (Good) Party, both polled at around 11 percent, above the 10 percent threshold necessary to win seats in parliament.
On the other hand, the Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) polled below the 10 percent threshold.
The poll said 53 percent of voters found Turkey’s executive presidential governance system, adopted in a referendum in April 2017, to be unsuccessful.
Forty-eight percent supported the idea of a new constitutional amendment to return to the parliamentary system.
