Majority support constitutional change in referendum: poll

According to a recent survey conducted by the polling company GENAR, over 50 percent of the Turkish nation supports the constitutional amendment package, to be voted on in the upcoming referendum on April 16. In addition, those voting in favor of the constitutional amendment package for the presidential system in the upcoming referendum are also expected to come from supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

The GENAR survey also indicates that 55 percent of the people support the constitutional amendment package and that 60 percent of participants will vote in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the context of the upcoming referendum. The results, which were reviewed by the Central Decision Executive Board of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), found that more than 95 percent of AK Party voters and almost half of MHP supporters intend to say "yes" to the constitutional amendment.

Despite efforts to prevent the constitutional amendment from bringing in the referendum, support for the package from CHP and the HDP supporters are expected. The survey indicates that 10 percent of CHP supporters tend to vote "yes" for the constitutional change compared to just more than 4 percent of HDP supporters.

According to the results, the number of undecided voters decreases as education level increases. The survey indicates that more than 90 percent of voters graduated from a university have decided which way to vote compared to over 85 percent of high school graduates. In light of the survey, more than 90 percent of those who voted for the AK Party and the CHP in the Nov. 1 general election have decided what to support in the referendum. In addition, 16 percent of undecided voters live in cities with a relatively small population, compared to 13.5 percent in metropolitan cities and 12.4 percent in rural areas.Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the Institute of Mediterranean Survey Research (AAA) in Mediterranean provinces on Feb. 1-15 indicates 55.2 percent of participants are expected to vote "yes" and 39.4 likely to say "No;" 62.8 percent of the people in Osmaniye province, the hometown of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli who supports the presidential system, will likely vote "yes," while 28.8 percent are expected to say "no."