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Majority supports Ottoman sultan’s name for third Bosphorus bridge: AKP poll
11.8.2013 – A survey conducted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has revealed that 60.9 percent of respondents supported the government’s decision to name Istanbul’s third Bosphorus bridge after “Yavuz Sultan Selim,” daily Sabah reported. 24.1 percent responded negatively to the move while 15 percent of respondents did not give any opinion. A total of 5,135 people reportedly participated in the poll.
The name of the bridge was announced as “Yavuz Sultan Selim,” one of the most prominent sultans in Ottoman history, by President Abdullah Gül during a ceremony in May. The planned name has caused controversy as the sultan, known in English as “Selim the Grim,” is known for the slaughter of around 40,000 Alevis