Survey: 13 percent think that HDP will be closed

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The Socio Political Field Research Center has released the results of its survey conducted in Turkey's Kurdish-majority east and southeast.

Participating in the survey from 16 provinces on March 4-8, 2022, the respondents said that Turkey's primary problem is the economic crisis and unemployment (76.3 percent). It was followed by the Kurdish question (17.4 percent) and the education system (17 percent).

The respondents were also asked, "For which party would you vote for if we had general elections this Sunday?" While 12 percent of them said that they would not cast votes, 37.7 percent opted for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). The potential voting rates of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) were 15.6 percent and 14.6 percent, respectively.

What if the HDP is closed?

Amid the closure case filed against the HDP by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation and currently pending before the Constitutional Court, the participants of the survey were asked, "For which party will you vote if the HDP is closed?"

While 78.2 percent said that they will vote for the party that the HDP will establish or for which it asks for votes, 9 percent said, "I will definitely not vote for another party". 4 percent would vote for another.

Snap elections

In response to the question "Do you think that a snap general election is necessary?", 64.9 percent of the respondents answered in the affirmative while 17.9 percent said no. 17.3 percent were indecisive.

When they were asked about the HDP closure case, 47.8 percent said the HDP would not be closed while 13.7 percent said "it might be closed".

Votes for the alliances

The respondents of the survey were also asked a question about the existing alliances in Turkey, namely the ruling People's Alliance of the AKP and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the opposition Nation's Alliance of the main opposition CHP and the İYİ Party.

While 15.1 percent of the respondents said that they would vote for the People's Alliance, 16.1 percent opted for the Nation's Alliance. 15.7 percent said that they would not vote for any of the alliances while 37.2 percent would vote for one if their party was a part of the alliance.

Meeting of 6 opposition parties

Lastly, the respondents of the survey were asked their opinions about the six opposition parties that came together and issued a memorandum of understanding foreseeing a return to a Reinforced Parliamentary System from the current Presidential Government System.

While 42.7 percent welcomed this meeting, 37.8 percent were "indecisive" and 19.5 percent found the development "negative".

In response to a question about the HDP's absence in the meeting of the 6 opposition parties, 36.6 percent found it "negative" while 18.6 percent found it "positive". 44.9 percent were indecisive. (RT/SD)