More than half of Turkish citizens disapprove of withdrawal from Istanbul Convention: Survey

Duvar English

Some 52.3 percent of Turkish citizens do not approve of the government's decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, according to a survey conducted by pollster Metropoll.

Some 26.7 percent of the survey participants said they approve of Ankara's abrupt decision, whereas 10.2 percent did not indicate an opinion.

Another 7.5 percent said they had not heard of the Istanbul Convention, while 3.3 percent said they were “undecided.”

What was striking about the survey results was that 81.3 percent of Felicity Party voters view Ankara's decision negatively.

Twenty-seven and 31 percent of the surveyed ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voters, respectively, disapprove of the government's decision.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP government on March 20 withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, which it signed onto in 2011 after it was forged in Turkey’s biggest city. The government said domestic laws, not outside fixes, would protect women’s rights.

There have been recent reports that Erdoğan had bowed to the demand of the Islamist opposition Felicity Party, in return for its support.

In January, Erdoğan paid a visit to the chairman of the Felicity Party High Advisory Board, Oğuzhan Asiltürk, at his home, which was said to be a step for the AKP to find new allies for the next elections. Following the visit, Asiltürk said Erdoğan had told him that the government would abandon the treaty.

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