Gen Z rejects Turkey’s ruling AKP with 80 percent opposition

• Jul 10 2022 04:07 Gmt+3
• Last Updated On: Jul 11 2022 08:21 Gmt+3

Some 80 percent of Turkey’s Gen Z, those born after 2000, say they will not vote for the ruling Justice and Development Party, according to a study by Gezici Research.

Gen Z will make up 11.8 percent of Turkey’s voting adult population by the time the June 2023 elections roll around.

“They do not approve of dictating, imperious or harsh language from politicians,” Gezici Research chairman and international security expert Murat Gezici told daily Cumhuriyet on Sunday.

An “overwhelming majority” of young people say they will vote for the opposition’s Nation Alliance if the presidential election goes to the second round, Gezici said. “Because they see the government as more oppressive and controlling.”

However, the main constituency that will determine the outcome of the elections is Gen Y, born between 1980 and 1999, Gezici added. This demographic makes up 32.6 percent of the electorate, and have a higher percentage of undecided voters.

“Those who remember the old Turkey, who are close centrist, but remain undecided will determine the fate of this election,” Gezici said. Seventy percent of undecided voters are from the Gen Y demographic, and most of them are women, he added.

In total, there are fewer undecided voters as the elections draw near. Gezici said the current rate stood at 16 percent, 92.7 percent of whom were voters under 40. “Out of this group, 68 percent live on less than 5,500 liras ($318) per month. The economic crisis is forcing a decision on the undecided, and often draws them closer to a party from the opposition front.”

Out of all participants, from both Gen Y and Z, 72 percent said they had trouble making ends meet and 76 percent believed the economy would not be fixed one year into the future.

Overall, 56.8 percent said an opposition candidate would make a better president, while 43.2 percent did not believe in the opposition either.