81 Percent of Diyarbakır, Van and Mardin Say 'No' to Trustees

* Photo: Mezopotamya Agency (MA)

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Socio-Political Field Research Center has shared the results of its research conducted in the provinces of Diyarbakır, Van and Mardin, whose Metropolitan Mayors from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) were replaced by state-appointed trustees on August 19.

631 people responded to face-to-face surveys as part of the research. The participants were asked questions about their support for the trustees and their expectations from the HDP. Based on the statistics shared by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) for 2018, 55.5 percent of the research was conducted in Diyarbakır, 31.7 percent in Van and 12.8 percent in Mardin.

Young people don't want the trustees

While 53.1 percent of the participants were men, the remaining 46.9 percent were women. The first question asked to the participants was "Do you support the appointment of trustees?"

81.3 percent of participants answered, "I don't" and 9.5 percent said, "I do". While 85.7 percent of male participants expressed their opposition to the appointment of trustees, this rate was 76.3 percent among women.

While 74 percent of young people between the ages of 18-24 stated that they did not support the appointment of trustees, this rate was 83.1 percent among the ones between the ages of 25 and 34. 84.8 percent of participants between the ages of 35-44 also did not express support for trustees.

'Attitude of HDP is insufficient'

The participants of the survey were also asked, "Do you find the attitude of the HDP against the appointment of trustees sufficient?'.

62.5 percent of them answered, "I don't". While 21.8 percent of male participants said that they found the attitude of the HDP sufficient, this rate was 19.6 among women. The vast majority of men and women participants said that they found the attitude of the HDP insufficient.

While 20.6 percent of participants between the ages of 18-24 thought that the HDP's attitude was sufficient, this rate was 19.8 percent in 25-34 age group, 16.8 percent in 35-44 age group, 24.4 percent in 45-54 age group, 33.4 percent in 55-64 age group and 14.3 percent in 65 and over.

Voter base wants the HDP to radicalize

When the participants were asked, "What do you think that HDP should do?", 36 percent of them answered that "it should adopt a radical attitude by protecting the gains together with Kurdish people".

While 11.6 percent said, "I have no idea", 10.8 percent said "It should withdraw from the Parliament and all municipalities in civil disobedience", 10.1 percent said "There is nothing it can do", 9.2 percent said "It should make a comprehensive self-criticism", 9.2 percent said "It should form international public opinion", 5.7 percent said "It should close the gap between itself and the people", 4.1 percent said "It should take legal action", 2.4 percent said "It should form an alliance with other political parties against trustees" and 1 percent said "I don't have any expectations from the HDP". (RT/SD)