World press on political situation in Turkey (July 20, 2013)

"A recent survey made by the Sonar polling company showed that if a general election had been carried out last Sunday in Turkey, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) would have gotten 44 percent of the votes," an article published by Hurriyet Daily News reads.

"There are two important details about this survey. This is the first survey made public following the Gezi Park incidents, which shook Turkey between the end of May and mid-June, and it was done by the company that had the most accurate estimates before the last general elections June 12, 2011, in which the AK Parti won nearly 50 percent of the votes and that endorsed its power for a third consecutive term," the author of the article, Murat Yetkin, writes.

"That 44 percent of the votes would mean an AK Parti government for a fourth term anyway; a 6 percent loss in Erdoğan’s votes would not cost him a government. Similarly, slight increases in the votes of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) to 28 (from 26 in 2011 elections) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to 16 (from 13 in 2011) would not put them in power even if they acted together, under the current election system."

"But 44 percent of votes would not be enough for Erdoğan to get elected as president next year as 50 percent plus one vote is needed to get elected. That is why Erdoğan has to reverse the slide in order to secure half of the votes again," the article reads.