Turkey Eyes 2026 “Citizenship Income”: New Plan to Support Low-Income Families

Türkiye is reportedly preparing to introduce a “citizenship income” system in 2026 as part of a broader effort to support low-income households. According to early information, the model would provide direct financial supplements to families whose total income falls below the minimum wage threshold.

Economist Prof. Dr. Abdulkadir Develi, speaking on CNN Türk, outlined the emerging framework and explained how the proposed system would function.

A New Approach: The Income-Completing Family Support System

Develi described the proposal as a mechanism designed to stabilize household welfare and prevent income erosion among vulnerable families.

He explained the system as follows:

“It aims to support households earning below a predetermined income level. For example, if we set the income threshold at 25,000 lira and a household earns 20,000 lira, the state would cover the remaining 5,000 lira. The motivation is to subsidize families at this point. We can call this an income-completing family support system.”

The model focuses not only on financial security but also on ensuring that families remain active participants in the labor market.

Already Reflected in Türkiye’s Medium-Term Program

According to Develi, elements of this support structure are already included in the country’s Medium-Term Program (OVP).
He emphasized that the proposal aligns with modern, family-oriented social welfare concepts:

“It is more accurate to evaluate this within the framework of family-focused, inclusive social support programs that do not hinder labor-force participation.”

This signals that the government aims to design a support system that protects household welfare while also preserving incentives to work.

Protecting Welfare Without Hurting Employment

Develi noted that the philosophy behind the planned reform is twofold:

• Protect the welfare level of low-income families

• Prevent negative impacts on employment and encourage participation in the workforce
  This balanced approach aims to avoid creating dependency while still providing essential financial stability during periods of economic stress.

What the Citizenship Income Could Mean for Türkiye

If implemented, the system could reshape Türkiye’s social assistance landscape by:

• Providing income top-ups to families below the minimum wage level

• Offering more predictable and structured support

• Reducing poverty and income inequality

• Strengthening household resilience without discouraging employment.