Politics
🏛️ Parliament Opens New Legislative Year: Erdoğan to Address Assembly, CHP to Boycott
The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) begins its 28th term, 4th legislative year today after a 2.5-month recess. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will deliver the opening speech in a special session chaired by Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş. However, the main opposition CHP announced it will boycott the session, citing recent government operations targeting its municipalities and party organization. Erdoğan is expected to address both domestic issues and foreign policy, particularly the situation in Gaza, while the boycott underscores deepening political tensions in Ankara.
📉 Turkish Court of Accounts Findings Plummet: Palace’s Influence Reaches Audit Office
Audit reports from Turkey’s Court of Accounts (Sayıştay) reveal a dramatic decline in identified irregularities, raising concerns over weakened accountability. In 2020, general budget institutions recorded 641 audit findings, but by 2024, this number had dropped to just 170. Following the secret parliamentary election of Metin Yener as Sayıştay President in 2021, critics argue that oversight powers were curtailed, and a controversial directive allowing top officials to attend report evaluations further diluted the institution’s independence. The trend highlights the growing influence of the presidential office over the country’s once-critical audit body.
🕊️ MGK Statement: Halting Israel’s Atrocities Is Humanity’s Shared Responsibility
Turkey’s National Security Council (MGK) convened under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, issuing an eight-point statement addressing domestic and regional security. The council emphasized ongoing efforts against terrorist organizations and reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to a “terror-free” region. Internationally, the MGK called attention to Israel’s policies in Gaza, labeling the resulting humanitarian crisis and deaths as unacceptable, and stated that stopping such actions and holding perpetrators accountable is a shared duty of all humanity. The council also highlighted Turkey’s ongoing support for Syria’s and Iraq’s stability, the two-state solution in Cyprus, normalization with Armenia, responsible engagement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and safeguarding Bosnia-Herzegovina’s sovereignty and constitutional order.
🗳️ CHP Prepares for 39th Congress: Date to Be Finalized on October 6
Turkey’s main opposition CHP is set to determine the official date of its 39th Ordinary Congress during the Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting on October 6. Following the completion of 777 district congresses out of 973, party officials say that nearly one-third of district leaders will change. Provincial congresses are expected to conclude by October 21, paving the way for the congress. Party insiders emphasize that the congresses are proceeding without central interference, portraying the process as a sign of internal unity despite ongoing political pressures and legal disputes targeting the party.
✉️ Öcalan Sends Message via DEM Party: “We Are Not Without Options”
DEM Party relayed critical messages from Abdullah Öcalan during a press briefing in Diyarbakır, highlighting his sharp criticism of the current political approach to the Kurdish issue. Öcalan reportedly dismissed AKP’s portrayal of having “defeated the PKK” as manipulative and emphasized that Kurds are “not without options”, asserting that they cannot remain stateless in the new century. The party also underlined key demands, including mother tongue rights, local governance, withdrawal of trustees, legislation on the Right to Hope, and revision of the Anti-Terror Law. DEM Party’s call for Öcalan to be heard in parliament sparked backlash from pro-government media, framing it as an attempt to undermine the process.
⚡ AKP Faces Ongoing Scandal: Entire Elazığ Provincial Leadership Resigns
The crisis within Turkey’s ruling AKP continues after a video showing the son of former Elazığ provincial head Şerafettin Yıldırım using drugs sparked outrage and forced his resignation. The controversy deepened when acting provincial chair İbrahim Sencer Selmanoğlu and the entire provincial executive board also stepped down. According to reports, the party’s headquarters has dispatched senior officials to Elazığ to oversee the process of appointing a new leadership, with an internal vote launched to select Yıldırım’s successor.
🚱 Water Crisis in Ankara: Reservoir Levels Drop Below 5%
Ankara is facing a severe water shortage as usable reservoir levels plummeted to just 4.88%, compared to over 27% at the same time last year. The city’s water authority (ASKİ) has begun planned cuts across nearly all districts while working to both reduce demand and increase supply. General Director Memduh Aslan Akçay stated that measures include restricting high-consumption users, tapping older wells, and repairing the critical Kesikköprü supply line, with water services expected to normalize by October 6. Experts warn that the capital is experiencing one of its driest years since 1994, raising concerns over long-term sustainability.
Economy
💸 Mounting Debts Handed Over to Asset Management Firms
Soaring inflation and shrinking purchasing power have left millions of Turkish citizens unable to repay loans, forcing banks to offload non-performing loans to asset management companies. As of July 2025, the debts of over 2.09 million individuals—mostly from consumer loans and credit cards—are now in the hands of these firms, which pursue repayment through restructuring or legal action. Data shows bad loans surged nearly 69% year-on-year to ₺484.8 billion, with banks accelerating sales to ease balance sheet pressure. Major lenders like Akbank, İş Bankası, and Garanti BBVA have transferred billions in overdue debts, signaling a deepening household debt crisis.
🛒 Empty Wallets, Empty Baskets
Turkey’s minimum wage earners are falling deeper into deficit as surging food inflation outpaces projected wage hikes. According to Türk-İş data, the monthly cost of a basic food basket has risen to ₺27,970, exceeding the minimum wage by more than ₺5,800, while the poverty line has climbed above ₺91,000. This leaves a minimum wage worker ₺14,000 short even when covering only essential needs. Despite this, financial institutions forecast only a 20% wage increase for 2025—far below the 32% rise in food costs in the first nine months of the year—raising concerns that households will continue to see real income losses.
📉 Record High in Broad Unemployment: Women Hit Hardest
Turkey’s broad unemployment rate climbed to 29.7% in August 2025, according to a new report by the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions’ Research Center (DİSK-AR), based on official TÜİK data. While the narrow unemployment rate remained at 8.5%, the number of broadly unemployed surged to 12.2 million, an increase of over 1.1 million in a year. The sharpest rise was seen among women: broad unemployment among women reached 39.2%, making it the highest category of joblessness. Youth unemployment also remained critical, with young women facing a 22.7% unemployment rate.
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