Majority of polls predict 'yes' result in referendum

As the country heads toward a referendum on April 16, a majority of polling companies have recently revealed that the Turkish nation is largely in favor of the constitutional reform package that proposes a new governmental system.

With 33 days remaining until referendum day, the Ankara-based Objective Research Center (ORC) announced that 57.2 percent of respondents in a poll will likely to vote "yes" to the constitutional change, whereas 42.8 percent of the respondents are expected to vote "no."

The ORC survey, which was conducted among 3,140 people in 36 provinces, also indicated that 59.6 percent of the Turkish nation believe that the constitutional changes will likely be accepted in the referendum.

Additionally, the polling company GENAR revealed that 55 percent of the respondents are in support of the changes and 45 percent are expected to vote "no."

The survey further revealed that 96 percent of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) voters and 46 percent of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voters will likely support the changes.

Additionally, the survey drew attention to the results from the "no" block that 10 percent of Republican People's Party (CHP) voters and more than 4 percent of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) voters are also expected to say "yes" in the referendum.

The A&G Research Company, which was the only firm to correctly predict the results of the Nov. 1 elections back in 2015, announced that 54 percent of Turkish nation will likely support the changes.

The head of the research company, Adil Gür, previously stated that the reason why a majority of the Turkish nation is in favor of the changes is due to the "belief in President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a person."

Many people in the "no" block will likely vote "no" due to an "anti-Erdoğan position," regardless of the context of the constitutional changes, according to the survey results.

In similar findings from the Konsensus Research Company as well as the MAK Consulting Company, 59 percent of the respondents are expected to say "yes" to the changes whereas "no" voters are expected to be more than 40 percent.

The Ankara-based Metropoll Research Company reported that 83 percent of the Turkish nation is expected to be at ballot boxes on day of the referendum. According to the survey result, 56 percent Turkish youth between ages of 18-24 will likely say "yes," whereas 31 percent will likely say "no" to the changes.

On the other hand, the Optimar Research Company predicts 53 percent will vote "yes" and 46 percent will vote "no." Furthermore, the survey results, which have made their way to Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım's desk, demonstrated that 53 to 54 percent of the Turkish nation is expected to vote "yes," according to sources.

Meanwhile, the Gezici Research Company, which strongly opposes the ruling AK Party, as well as the Public Opinion Research Center (AKAM), predicted that more than 40 percent of the respondents in their poll are predicted to vote "Yes" and more than 55 percent will likely say "no."