Latest surveys indicate single-party government in possible snap election


With less than two weeks left for the formation of a government, two recent surveys indicate that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) might be able to secure enough seats in Parliament to form a single party government, while the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HDP) could struggle to stay over the 10 percent national election threshold in early elections.

According to surveys by the Objective Research Center (ORC) and MAK Consultancy, the AK Party would regain a majority in Parliament if snap elections were to be held immediately. The ORC study, conducted with 1,580 people from 32 cities, found that 44.1 percent of participants support the AK Party followed by 26.8 percent support for the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which it is currently holding coalition talks with the AK Party. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) was supported by 15.6 percent of participants and the HDP received 10.7 percent support from those surveyed, staying above the 10 percent election threshold.

MAK Consultancy's survey was conducted with 5,500 people from 194 districts in 20 cities between Aug. 4 and Aug. 8. Similar to ORC's results, MAK Consultancy found 44.7 percent support from participants for the AK Party followed by the CHP with 25.3 percent support, the MHP with 15.6 percent support and the HDP at 10.7 percent if the elections were to be held immediately.

In addition, ORC asked participants about their views regarding a coalition and early elections in which 67.4 percent of participants said they were in favor of early elections, while 32.4 percent were in favor of a coalition. Concerning the ongoing coalition talks between the AK Party and CHP, the ORC survey found 92.2 percent of participating AK Party voters are against a coalition with the CHP while 71.5 percent of the CHP voters in the survey were against a coalition with the AK Party.