CMIRS survey highlights deep public pessimism
A new poll shows overwhelming public dissatisfaction in the occupied areas of Cyprus, with 90.4% of respondents stating that developments are moving in the wrong direction, according to the Centre for Migration, Identity and Rights Studies (CMIRS).
The findings, published for March 2026, are based on 500 face-to-face interviews conducted by the research centre and reported by Turkish Cypriot media.
Turkish Cypriots poll reveals long-term discontent
The poll confirms that negative perceptions have remained consistently high since 2017, peaking at 97% in 2022 before slightly easing to 90% in 2026.
Respondents identified the main problems facing the community as economic hardship, the Cyprus problem, corruption, and weak political leadership, followed by healthcare challenges, inflation, and infrastructure issues, particularly electricity supply.
Economic outlook remains highly negative
According to the survey, 63.33% of respondents believe their personal financial situation will worsen over the next two years, while only 8.01% expect improvement.
At a broader level, 69.94% expect the economy to deteriorate, compared to just 4.61% who foresee positive growth.
More than half of participants (53.6%) said they struggle to cover basic household needs, while 72.8% expressed concern about loan repayments. In addition, 74.2% reported difficulties covering medical expenses.
Low trust and rising concern over governance
The poll also highlights weakening social confidence. The social trust index stands at a very low 3.49 out of 10, raising concerns about governance and institutional stability.
The happiness index was recorded at 5.95 out of 10, while the sustainability index reached 6.02.
CMIRS director Mine Yucel noted that persistent dissatisfaction reflects ongoing structural problems affecting both the economy and public trust in institutions.
Also read: Cyprus records highest worker burnout levels in Europe
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