My Ideal Municipality Survey

About the study

A study conducted before the 31 March 2024 local elections, examining voters’ ideal municipality and mayor, expectations of local government, and voting criteria. The results suggest that voters expected social-welfare-oriented local government beyond infrastructure provision, while party affiliation had become less influential in voting decisions. A short introductory article in early February 2024 also identified mayors whom voters wished would stand in their own cities.

Key findings

• Above all, voters expected a mayor to be “fair”. Disaster preparedness mattered, but services affecting everyday life took priority.
• 78.3% said they would not vote for a municipality that failed to invest in the environment; 70% would not support one that did not provide social assistance, and 69% would not support one without projects for women. 68.5% said environmental and sustainability projects would affect their vote. Poor families were seen as the priority for social assistance.
• 27.3% were satisfied with their current district municipality, while 45.7% were dissatisfied.
• Only 29% said they would vote for their own party’s candidate. 71% said they could also vote for a candidate from an opposing party if they liked the candidate. The question “If a single municipality governed Türkiye” was also used to assess the most admired example of municipal government.

Methodology

Data were collected from 1,067 people across Türkiye, with a reported 95% confidence level and 3% margin of error. Regional distribution, age, gender and voting distribution in the 2023 general election were taken into account to reflect Türkiye’s population.

Ertan Aksoy’s assessment (summary)

Ertan Aksoy argues that Türkiye is undergoing a marked sociological transformation. Generation Y has become the middle generation, carrying both the economic burden and the role of opinion leadership within families. This changes voters’ expectations of local government and challenges established assumptions about municipal government.