ELECTION DAY SURVEY: Gallup Pakistan carried out a large scale Exit Poll Survey on February 18 across all four provinces of Pakistan, exclusively for the Daily Business Recorder and Aaj TV Network.
The findings of this unique survey are being published in several parts in the Daily Business Recorder as well as broadcasted by Aaj TV. The first part was published on February 20. Today we are releasing the second part.
VIEWS OF VOTERS ON POWERS OF PRIME MINISTER AND THE PRESIDENT: The distribution of power between the President and the Prime Minister has been a troublesome issue in Pakistan's recent political history. In some cases, it led to the dissolution of the parliament while in others it created a situation where the Parliament, in the view of many, ceased to perform its Constitutional function.
Given that background the voters who voted in the 2008 elections for the Parliament in Pakistan were asked to give their understanding of who should have more powers to run the country: the President or the Prime Minister. They were also asked to state their expectations of what might happen in practice. They were asked (irrespective of what their own preference was) who would exercise more powers, once the new parliament is elected: the President or the Prime Minister.
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of the national sample of voters interviewed in all the four provinces (Total sample was 5538 voters interviewed on February 18, as they stepped out of the polling stations) said they would prefer that the new Prime Minister should exercise more powers than the President.
However, when asked to give their perceptions of what might actually happen, their views were quite different. Forty percent (40%) believed that in reality the President will exercise more powers. The survey found a sharp difference between the preferences of voters and their expectations about the realisation of their preferences.
The survey showed a high degree of clarity among the cross-section of men and women voters of all ages, educational and income status on who should exercise more powers as 78% support more powers to the Prime Minister. However the survey findings also reflect a high degree of scepticism on the practice since only 60 % believe that the new elected Prime Minister will actually have more powers in running the country.
Part 3 of the series of Reports based on the Gallup Pakistan-Business Recorder/Aaj TV Exit Poll (Election Day Survey) will appear tomorrow. It will take up the issue of whether the voters of various parties (which are trying to put together an alliance) are emotionally close to or distant from each other. The voters were asked: who would be your second choice. Tomorrow we shall focus on the answers to this question given by the voters of PPP and PML(N) among others.
CLARITY ON PREFERENCE: Who should have more powers to run the country: President or Prime Minister?
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President 22%
Prime Minister 78%
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SKEPTICISM ON PRACTICE
Who will have more powers to run the country?
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Prime Minister 60%
President 40%
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