More than 50 percent of Turks think the country should hold early elections and see the economy as the country’s biggest problem, according to the results of a recent survey.
The results of SONAR’s survey conducted in July with the participation of 3,271 people across 26 provinces were reported by the Sözcü daily on Wednesday.
Among the participants, 51.4 percent said they think Turkey should go to early elections, while 42.1 percent said they were against it.
The survey’s results showed that there has been a six-point decline in the number of people opposed to early elections compared to June, when the percentage of those opposed to early elections was 48.1 percent.
Turkey held a general election in May 2023, with the next scheduled for May 2028.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) faced calls for early elections from some segments of society following the March 31 local elections, when the party lost significant public support. The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which emerged as the most successful party in the local elections, has avoided from making a call for early elections.
Economy number-one concern
When respondents were asked what they considered the most important problem in the country, 59.3 percent named the economic situation, with its high rate of inflation and cost of living.
Turkey’s poor and middle-income families have been hit the hardest by an economic crisis that saw the official annual inflation rate reach a decades-high of 85 percent in October 2022. The rate then fell off with fluctuations.
According to official data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the annual rate of inflation stood at 61.78 percent in July, but ENAG, an independent group of economists, disputed TurkStat data and said annual inflation was much higher than was announced by TurkStat, standing at 100.88 percent in July.
The high cost of living in the country makes it difficult for millions to buy even their basic necessities and pay their rent and bills.
In the survey illegal migration/refugees has been cited as the second most important problem followed by a lack of justice, terrorism and unemployment.