AKP Withdraws 30,000 TL Pay Rise Plan After Backlash
erdogan
A highly debated regulation proposing up to 30,000 TL in additional payments for top-level bureaucrats and career civil servants has been removed from the legislative package following intense criticism from unions and concerns over its legal validity. The amendment, initially added to the central government budget bill by the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Committee, sparked widespread debate in both the public and Parliament.
The proposal was designed to enhance the financial rights of career-track officials such as district governors, inspectors, experts, and auditors, and was initially welcomed by many of these groups. However, controversy grew after the same provision was expanded to include senior bureaucracy, top executives, and advisors, prompting objections over fairness and the scope of beneficiaries.
Unions Warned of Inequity; Legal Risks Emerged
Labour unions expressed strong opposition to the proposal, arguing that a selective pay rise for certain administrative groups would exacerbate inequality among public employees. As the backlash intensified, legal concerns surfaced about the method used to implement the pay increase.
Critics noted that inserting such a wage-related article into the budget law could violate procedural rules. Although CHP supported the substance of the regulation, party officials were reportedly considering taking the matter to the Constitutional Court, arguing that “salary increases cannot be enacted through amendments to the budget law.”
This legal uncertainty prompted discussions about shifting the arrangement to a different legislative vehicle. Plans were made to incorporate the additional payment into a tax law under debate in the General Assembly; however, the parties failed to reach a consensus, and the measure could not be added to the tax package.
AK Parti Pulls the Clause from the Bill
With tensions rising and no inter-party agreement achieved, AK Parti opted to withdraw the 30,000 TL additional payment clause from the budget proposal. The decision effectively halts the planned financial improvement for upper-echelon public officials—at least for now.
Whether the regulation will reappear in the form of a new law in the coming weeks remains uncertain. Government sources indicate that the matter may be revisited, but no formal timeline or new proposal has yet been announced.