The gap Republican People’s Party and the ruling AKP expands to 5% shows a poll by the Turkish company MetroPOLL Research. In the survey conducted in 28 provinces between April 17-24, 2024, to the question “Which political party would you vote for if parliamentary elections were held this Sunday?”, 23.8% of of respondents said the Republican People’s Party (CHP), while 20.6% chose the AKP. After the redistribution of undecideds, the percentage of the PLK, which had received 25.41% in the Parliamentary Elections of May 14, 2023, reached 35.9%, while the percentage of the AKP, which had received 35.32%, was limited to 31.1 %. Also, the pro-Kurdish DEM party took 3rd place with 8.4%, while AKP’s government partner, the far-right Nationalist Action Party, came 4th with 7.9%. The New Prosperity party saw the biggest increase with 6.1%, coming in fifth.

These new alarming facts for the Turkish president as well as for his government partner, may also be connected with Erdogan’s sudden move two days ago to transfer the responsibility for the decision to declare mobilization and war to himself, removing it from the Ministry Council. Analysts believe that the new regulation aims rather to protect the regime from internal disputes and from possible rebellions, such as that of Gezi Park, rather than from external threats. And that it could be used to suppress riots and mass mobilizations. But also to limit the political opponents of the governing alliance from continuing their upward momentum.

At the same time, however, the Turkish president is keeping the door to dialogue open, as he agreed with the official opposition leader Özgür Ozel, after the municipal elections. According to information, during yesterday’s meeting of the Central Committee of his party, Erdogan referred to the meeting with Özel and emphasized that he is always ready for a dialogue with the opposition. He pointed out that in the past there was no such communication with the previous leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. In fact, according to reliable information, Erdoğan will visit Ozel soon and there will be subsequent visits of peace between the two during the Religious Feast of Sacrifice that begins on June 16.