Debt Crisis Deepens in Turkey as Enforcement Files Hit 24.5 Million

Turkey’s worsening economic conditions are increasingly visible in official debt and bankruptcy figures. From soaring enforcement cases to record-breaking credit card defaults and a sharp rise in concordat applications, the latest data paints a picture of households and companies struggling to stay afloat.

The scale of the problem was laid out in detail by Ömer Fethi Gürer, who warned that the current economic climate is pushing both citizens and businesses deeper into financial distress.

Enforcement and Bankruptcy Files Reach Historic Levels

According to figures shared by Gürer, the number of active enforcement (icra) files has risen dramatically over the past year. The total number of ongoing cases increased by 1.7 million in just 12 months, reaching 24,529,000. This means nearly one enforcement file for every three people in the country, a striking indicator of widespread financial strain.

Data from the UYAP system further illustrates the acceleration. In 2024, the number of newly opened files stood at 8,862,000. In 2025, that figure jumped by approximately 13.7 percent, surpassing 10 million new files in a single year.

These numbers reflect not only unpaid debts but also the growing inability of individuals and businesses to meet basic financial obligations under current economic conditions.

Credit Card and Consumer Loan Defaults Explode

One of the most alarming trends highlighted by Gürer involves household debt. Citizens struggling with rising living costs and stagnant purchasing power are increasingly relying on credit cards and consumer loans—often with devastating consequences.

According to the data, credit card debts that have fallen into legal follow-up surged by an extraordinary 122.9 percent, marking a record increase. At the same time, non-performing individual consumer loans rose by 96.6 percent, showing that nearly all forms of personal borrowing are under severe stress.

These figures suggest that short-term borrowing is no longer acting as a buffer for households, but rather as a pathway into long-term financial hardship.

Concordat Applications Multiply Nearly Sixfold

The corporate sector is facing equally severe pressure. Concordat—an arrangement that allows financially distressed companies to restructure debts under court supervision—has become increasingly common.

In 2023, a total of 401 concordat applications were filed. By 2025, this number had nearly sixfold, climbing to 2,528 applications. This sharp rise signals that many firms are no longer able to service their debts through normal operations.

Even more striking is the outcome of these processes. In 2025 alone, courts issued 5,594 concordat-related decisions. Of these, 2,535 resulted in temporary protection periods, while 217 cases ended directly in bankruptcy, underscoring the depth of financial distress in the real economy.

A Broader Warning for the Economy

Gürer emphasized that these figures are not isolated statistics but interconnected symptoms of a broader economic slowdown. Rising interest rates, declining real incomes, and shrinking domestic demand are collectively feeding into a cycle of debt, enforcement, and insolvency.

From households unable to pay credit card bills to companies seeking legal protection from creditors, the data suggests that economic stress is becoming systemic rather than exceptional.

Signals That Cannot Be Ignored

Economists often view enforcement files, non-performing loans, and concordat figures as leading indicators of deeper structural problems. The current surge across all three areas indicates that financial pressure is spreading simultaneously across consumers and producers.

While government policy responses and macroeconomic adjustments may influence future outcomes, the latest data already reflects the lived reality of millions of citizens and thousands of businesses.