Majority of Turks oppose constitutional amendment allowing Erdoan's re-election

A majority of Turks, 66.3 percent, are against a constitutional amendment that would allow President Recep Tayyip Erdoan to run again in elections in 2028, local media reported this weekend, citing a recent poll of opinion.

According to the Turkish Constitution, presidential and legislative elections must take place simultaneously. The most recent elections took place in May 2023, when Erdoan won another presidential term. The next general elections are scheduled for 2028.

The Constitution also states that the president can only serve a renewable five-year term if elections are held as scheduled. Erdoan was first elected president under the parliamentary system in 2014. However, this term is not considered his first term since it did not fall under the presidential system of governance adopted by Turkey in following a public referendum in 2017.

In the November Metropolls Turkeys Pulse survey, participants were asked: Would you like the Constitution to be amended so that Erdoan can run for president again in the next election?

The results revealed that 66.3 percent of respondents answered no, including 40.2 percent of supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and 55 percent of voters of its far-right ally. right, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Opposition to amending the Constitution for Erdoan's re-election rose to 83 percent among voters in the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) at 87.6 percent. among voters of the opposition nationalist Y (Good) party and 88.9 percent among supporters of the pro-Kurdish party. Party for People's Equality and Democracy (DEM Party).

The overall percentage of respondents who welcomed a constitutional amendment allowing Erdoan to run for office again stood at 28.5 percent, while 5.2 percent chose not to answer the question.

Although Erdoan declared before the March 31 local elections that this would be his last candidacy before leaving office, some claim he would seek a constitutional amendment that would allow him another term as president. the state.

The same survey also found that 37.8 percent of Turks preferred Ankara Mayor Mansur Yava of the CHP as the party's presidential candidate for the upcoming elections. The preference fell to 21.6 percent for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Mamolu and just 7.4 percent for CHP leader Zgr Zel.

Approval ratings for politicians indicated that 63.5 percent of participants said they liked Yava, while the figure was 48.7 percent for mamolu and 32.6 percent for zel. As for President Erdoan, 40 percent of respondents expressed a favorable opinion, while 51.9 percent said they did not like him.

Mamolu is considered Erdoan's most powerful political rival. He and Yava were named among possible presidential candidates to challenge Erdoan in last year's presidential election. However, it was ultimately former CHP leader Kemal Kldarolu who was nominated by a group of opposition parties as their presidential candidate and was defeated.

To the open-ended question asked of respondents, which party would you vote for if a general election took place this Sunday? A total of 30.3 percent said they would vote for the main opposition CHP, followed by the ruling AKP (30 percent), DEM (9.8 percent), MHP (7.6 percent), Party Y (6 percent), Victory Party. (ZP) (4.2 percent), New Welfare Party (YRP) (3.5 percent), Felicity Party (SP) (1.8 percent), Anahtar Party (Key) ( 1.7 percent) and other parties (5.1 percent).

The AKP received 36.3% of the vote, while the CHP received 25.8% in the last general elections held in May 2023.

The investigation comes after Erdoan's ruling AKP suffered its worst electoral defeat since coming to power twenty years ago. During the local elections of March 31, the CHP became the country's leading party after several decades of absence from power.

The CHP garnered 37.7 percent of the vote, maintained control of key cities and made substantial gains in other regions in the March elections, while the AKP, for the first time in 22 years, won second, with only 35.4 percent of the vote.

Erdoan, whose AKP has been in power as a one-party government since 2002, was elected president in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and 2023. His election in 2018 took place under a presidential system while the Turkey has moved from a parliamentary system to a presidential system. governance system with a public referendum in 2017.

Under the presidential system, Erdoan is accused by critics of establishing one-man rule in the country, engaging in massive corruption and using state resources to benefit his family and his friends, while the Turkish people are overwhelmed by the increase in the cost of living caused by the increase in the cost of living. by the depreciation of the Turkish lira and record inflation levels.