As the Nov. 1 early elections draw near, polls conducted from Sept. 14 to Sept. 17 throughout Europe revealed strong support for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) while the results also demonstrate that Turks living abroad want a single-party government after the elections. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among 6,000 Turkish citizens living in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, France and Belgium. A total of 28 percent of those surveyed indicated they support the AK Party, while the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) garnered 19 percent, the Republican People's Party (CHP) garnered 15 percent and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) received only 8 percent. The latest survey, which was conducted by the Germany-based Ethno-Forschung Germany Research Institution, asked the participants which party they would vote for in the upcoming elections, how the parties' election manifesto would affect their decision to vote and what their expectations are from Turkish politics. The results showed that although 59 percent of the Turks living abroad are aiming to go to the ballots during the elections, 38 percent indicated that they will not be voting. Among those choosing to vote during the upcoming elections, the AK Party received the greatest support from Austria with 66 percent followed by Belgium with 63 percent.
In Germany, where the majority of Turks living in Europe reside, 54.5 percent of participants support the AK Party, which was followed by the HDP with 18.5 percent, the CHP with 17 percent and the MHP with 10 percent. Throughout the European countries where the survey was conducted, the MHP received the least amount of support. The survey further revealed that including promises to establish peace domestically and internationally within the parties' election manifesto is the greatest factor that will affect the choice of which party to vote for. Stability and ending terror also plays a big role in choosing the parties.
A total of 63 percent of participants indicated that they want a single-party government while only 37 percent desires a coalition government. However, 98.2 percent of the participants said Turkish citizens living in Europe are not represented enough in Parliament and urged for more deputies from Europe. Participants also stressed that distance from the election ballots is still an issue during elections, as they said the ballots are placed very far away from the electorates.
Although President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's role in the elections is criticized, 62 percent of participants said they fully support Erdoğan holding meetings throughout Europe. However, only 36 percent of those surveyed, which included all of the CHP and HDP supporters, indicated they do not support Erdoğan's meetings in Europe.
