Turkey: Protesters rally in Istanbul against economic policies amid rising inflation

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Protesters gathered in Istanbul on Sunday after unions called for a protest against rising poverty and the cost of living in the country as the lira continued to depreciate against the dollar.

The trade union federation KESK held rallies in Istanbul Kartal and Ankara Tandogan Square to protest the economic crisis and the government’s economic policies. In addition to non-governmental organisations, many political party organisations such as the Communist Party of Turkey took part in the action.

“It doesn’t matter what the raise is, but what you get with that salary is your purchasing power. In other words, this increase might not be enough with this inflation,” Egemen Cevahir said at the protest criticising the government’s response to the economic situation.

Turkey is currently experiencing a currency catastrophe as the Turkish lira hit record lows against the dollar as annual inflation continues to rise.

On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a 50 percent increase in the national minimum wage from the New Year to offset rising inflation figures.

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SOT, Emre, Activist (Turkish): “As you know, the neoliberal policy that started in the 80s in the world led to economic crises in many countries. This economic policy is the exploitation policy of the companies against the working class and the oppressed people. In Turkey, this policy came with the AKP (Justice and Development Party) and has been trying to put pressure on the working class since 2002. Today, with the rise of the dollar or the depreciation of the Turkish lira, the working class is getting poorer.”

SOT, Fatma, Protester (Turkish): “We are now exhausted from price hikes, hunger and poverty. They destroyed our country. By lowering the interest rate, it raises the exchange rate, which is reflected to us as a raise. Everything in the country is indexed to the dollar, so there is a rise every day.”

SOT, Egemen Cevahir, Academic (Turkish): “Supposedly, a 50 percent increase was made to the minimum wage, the highest increase in the last 50 years they say. It’s a complete lie, higher raises were also made in the 90s. It’s not how much of a raise is made, it’s what you get with that salary, it’s your purchasing power. In other words, it is impossible for this increase to be sufficient in this inflation. But as long as we do not sit at that table as the authorised union, we have to say ok to this raise.”

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Video ID: 20211219-027

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