The perception of the youth towards Syrian refugees and its impact on their voting behaviours

In 2011, internal conflict that erupted in Syria quickly escalated into a civil war, leading many nationals of the Syrian Arab Republic to flee to neighboring countries, primarily Türkiye. Türkiye initially implemented an "open door policy", welcoming Syrian refugees at its borders. As of September 2024, Türkiye hosts 3,093,909 Syrians under temporary protection (SuTP) dispersed in almost every province in the country. Over time, the positive attitudes toward Syrian refugees have shifted to negative sentiments, which have also been reflected in the political arena. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of young people's perceptions of SuTP on their voting behavior. A mixed research method was employed in this study, qualitative research supported by quantitative data. In this context, a survey was conducted with 100 participants, and face-to-face and online interviews were carried out with 15 participants. Additionally, the election manifestos of political parties and the statements of political leaders were analyzed based on general elections in 2023 and local elections in 2024. The findings of the surveys and interviews indicate a high level of opposition to SuTP among young participants, who perceive them as socio-cultural, economic, security, and demographic threats. This perception has been found to influence their voting behavior. In accordance with the rational voting behavior and strategic voting behavior, it has been observed that participants have directed their negative attitudes against SuTP towards supporting political parties or leaders with stricter and more explicit migration and refugee policies during the elections.