TEPAV: No Social Support for the Presidential System In the public opinion poll conducted by TEPAV and A&G Research Company 56.3 percent of the respondents said that the current parliamentary system must be kept. 16 percent think that the presidential system must be introduced.

ANKARA - Polls show that the public opinion does not support the presidential system. The ratio of those not supporting the presidential regime is 56.3 percent as opposed to 16 percent who do.

TEPAV and A&G Research Company conducted a public opinion poll with 2516 respondents, 1235 female and 1281 male, at or above 18 years of age representing the voting population. The poll, carried out on 19-20 February 2011 in 34 provinces 142 district and villages, involved face-to-face interviews in households.

The poll involved questions about the presidential system. In response to the question, "the presidential system as a political system has been commonly discussed in Turkey in the recent period. What do you think about this issue?" 56.3 percent of the respondents stated that the current parliamentary system must be kept as opposed to 16 percent who said they supported the presidential system. 26.9 percent of the respondents said they did not have any opinion on the issue.

Overall results

Strongest "no" from CHP supporters...

Voters supporting the Republican People's Party (CHP) stated the strongest opposition to the presidential regime. 70.4 percent of the respondents who said that they would vote for the CHP in the next elections maintained that the current parliamentary system must be kept. The ratio of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) supporters opposing the presidential system was 64.7 percent and 58.9 percent, respectively. One striking point was that 46.1 percent of the respondents who stated that they would vote for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the next elections claimed that the current system must be kept.

The ratio of respondents supporting the presidential system was the highest among the AKP supporters, at 20.6%. The AKP supporters were followed by BDP supporters, 20.2 percent of whom stated their desire for the presidential system. The support ratio for the presidential regime was 14.5 percent among MHP supporters and 11.2 percent among CHP supporters.

The high ratio of the respondents who stated that they do not have any opinion on the issue was also striking.  The ratio stood at 33.0 percent among AKP supporters, 20.1 percent among MHP supporters, 19.4 percent among the BDP supporters and 17.3 percent among the CHP supporters.

Composition among parties