Türkiye Tops Europe in Electricity Price Surge with 87.7% Hike

According to Eurostat’s May 2025 data, Türkiye recorded the highest electricity price increase in Europe, with a staggering 87.7% year-on-year rise, far surpassing any other country on the continent.

The closest follower, Austria, saw a 36.6% increase, while Luxembourg came next with 24.3%. The EU average, in stark contrast, stood at just 2.2%, and several countries actually experienced price declines over the past year.

Many EU Countries Saw Price Drops, Türkiye Stood Alone

Electricity prices in nations like France (-14%), Germany, Slovenia, Denmark, and Finland have either stabilized or decreased. This highlights the widening gap between Türkiye and its European peers in terms of energy affordability and price control.

Despite repeated claims of government subsidies, Türkiye’s price surge has drawn increasing public and expert scrutiny. Economist İnan Mutlu noted:
“They claim electricity is subsidized, yet prices rose 87.7% in just one year.”

Government: “We Support 97% of Households”

In response to rising criticism, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar recently emphasized that 97% of electricity consumers are still subsidized. He acknowledged that 1.2 million households, or 3% of all users, had been excluded from government support schemes, but insisted that the state still covers:

• 50% of household electricity bills

• 70% of household natural gas bills

Bayraktar positioned these efforts as proof of the government’s continued commitment to shielding citizens from full market-based energy costs.

Energy Subsidies Not Enough to Prevent Price Shock

Despite these broad subsidies, Türkiye’s electricity prices have surged past those in countries without such levels of support. This raises key questions about the efficiency of state subsidies, the impact of inflation and currency devaluation, and the sustainability of Türkiye’s energy pricing model.

As the cost of living continues to rise, energy affordability is becoming a core pressure point for both households and businesses, and a politically sensitive issue heading into the second half of 2025.