Thousands protest in Turkey to demand bigger hike in minimum wage

ANKARA: Thousands of people protested in Turkey’s capital Ankara on Saturday to demand a bigger hike in the minimum wage, chanting slogans calling on the government to resign and waving the opposition and national flags.

The government announced this week that the net monthly minimum wage in 2025 will be 22,104 Turkish lira ($630.28), a 30 per cent increase from 2024. The government said the level was set to maintain fiscal discipline and continue the fight against inflation.

Turkish workers, who have faced a persistent cost-of-living crisis with an expected annual inflation of 45 per cent this year, had called for an increase of around 70 per cent in total: a 45 per cent inflation adjustment and a 20 per cent welfare increase.

Turkey’s main opposition CHP called Saturday’s protest, saying the minimum wage increase showed President Tayyip Erdogan’s government “lost touch with the realities of Turkey”.

“They say that inflation would increase as much as the minimum wage is increased. This is a big lie. There was no minimum wage increase throughout the year, and we still have 50 per cent inflation,” CHP leader Ozgur Ozel told the rally.

There were additional mid-year hikes to the minimum wage in 2023 and 2022, due to high inflation.

“While hundreds of thousands of people here are calling for your resignation, Mr Erdogan, you cannot avoid elections. If there’s no bread and butter, there should be elections,” Ozel said.

Presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey are scheduled for 2028.

Erdogan, speaking at a meeting of his AK Party (AKP) in northwestern city of Bursa, said the minimum wage increase was determined by taking factors including inflation and employment into consideration.

Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said the minimum wage increased in 2023 and 2024 more than the annual inflation.