Recent poll on Hizmet movement

Dr. Dogu Ergil
Dr. Dogu Ergil


Date posted: May 2, 2012

DR. DOĞU ERGİL, April 24, 2012

The MetroPOLL Strategic and Social Research Center conducted a nationwide survey during the last week of March and the first week of April. The topics polled included the clash between the Gülen community and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT). The number of respondents who believe the Gülen community wants to wield power and share it with the AKP was 38 percent. Those who think the Gülen community has no such aim or drive was 44.5 percent.

The MetroPOLL Strategic and Social Research Center conducted a nationwide survey during the last week of March and the first week of April. There were interesting findings worth considering.

The topics polled included the clash between the Gülen community (aka Hizmet movement) and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and the debate on the unexpected to the structure of education that is believed by some to be a move by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) to reopen imam-hatip Schools (religious vocational high schools) that had been closed due to the pressure of the military. Another recent matter of public debate is the issue that prosecutors had wanted to question the head and top officials of MİT on the grounds of inappropriate actions taken during covert operations. This initiative was aborted and led to the creation of a new law that tied the prosecution of MİT agents to the executive permission of the prime minister.

All of these events had a mixed impact on public opinion.

When asked whether prosecutors should be able to interrogate the MİT undersecretary when necessary, 56 percent of respondents found this reasonable and 31 percent were opposed.

Only 27 percent of respondents felt that the head of MİT should be immune from direct questioning by prosecutors and judges; 61 percent thought otherwise.

These findings indicate that the overwhelming majority of the people do not want any government official to be above the law or have special protection granted by the executive order when they commit a wrong.

When asked whether the crisis between MİT and the judiciary has negatively affected the government or not, 15 percent of respondents felt that the crisis has strengthened the government and 17 percent believed it has weakened the government. However, 57 percent indicated the crisis did not change anything about the standing of the government.

With regards to the alleged clash of power and interests between the Gülen community and the AKP, only 32 percent of respondents expressed a belief that there was such friction. Fifty-six percent said there was no such thing.

The number of respondents who believe the Gülen community wants to wield power and share it with the AKP was 38 percent. Those who think the Gülen community has no such aim or drive was 44.5 percent.

These figure indicate that the ruling party has suffered a small but indicative loss of popularity, most probably because of the combined effects of the bombing of 35 Kurdish citizens at Uludere and its inability to come up with a plausible explanation, the damaging debate regarding friction between the AKP and the Gülen community as well as between the judiciary and intelligence service and, finally, the 4+4+4 educational system, which begs for serious questions to be answered.

Source: Today’s Zaman http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-278467-turkish-trends.html

Note: Follow the above link to read full article.


Related News

American pastor jailed over Gülen links asks Trump to fight for his release

An American pastor who has been jailed on bogus terrorism charges in Turkey for more than five months has asked US President Donald Trump to help secure his release. Pastor Brunson has no known ties to terrorist groups, and the Turkish government has not produced any evidence to show that he does.

Main opposition deputy head slams gov’t for targeting Hizmet Movement

Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Faruk Loğoğlu criticized government, which signaled Hizmet Movement should be included in “Red Book,” a national security document in which major threats against the nation are enumerated, on Thursday.

Turkish coup was Erdogan ‘gift’

Erdogan became quite successful in his two very basic goals right after the coup. First and foremost, for putting all the blame squarely on the Hizmet movement, led by Gulen, and then carrying on a huge cover-up to hide other segments of the coup plotters. The problem is, while he has been quite successful in Turkey – he was not able to convince many in Europe and in the US.

PM Erdoğan confesses to creating ‘super judges’ for anti-Hizmet plot

The PM Erdogan has been harshly criticized for his remarks by observers and legal experts, who agree the remarks have come as a clear indication that the prime minister is directly involved in a planned legal action against a civil society group — the Hizmet movement. According to the prime minister’s plans against Hizmet, it is already clear which court and judges will handle the legal case against the movement.

Kenya Embassy Donates Food & Warm Clothes to Syrian Refugees

Kenya Embassy donations were channelled through Kimse Yok Mu (or ‘Is Any One there’), a Turkish Non-Governmental Organisation on 29th January, 2013. It is noted that Kimse Yok Mu is one of the international NGOs that actively responded to the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis in 2011 that saved the lives of thousands of Somali refugees from imminent death due to prolonged drought.

Hizmet schools win 64 out of 120 TÜBİTAK medals despite gov’t pressure

İstanbul’s Fatih Koleji, Ankara’s Samanyolu and Atlantik Schools and İzmir’s Yamanlar Schools, which have been put under pressure by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, picked up 64 medals out of 120 on Wednesday in the 22nd National Science Olympiad and the 19th National Mathematics Olympiad for primary and secondary schools.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Love is A Verb – forthcoming documentary on the Gülen Movement

Eight trucks aid supplies for Serbia & Bosnia flood

Turkish-Arab forum focuses on gov’t oppression on Hizmet

What is this bedlam all about?

Gülen won’t change his stand, urges followers’ patience

US Sees No Need to Choose Between Partnership With Turkey, Gulen Extradition

How does PM Erdoğan hurt the liberal pious of Turkey?

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News