CHP Enters Sixth Day of “Parliamentary Vigil” for Retirees: “Rise Up and Challenge This Government”

ANKARA – The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is continuing its “Parliamentary Vigil” for the sixth consecutive day, with lawmakers refusing to leave the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) General Assembly. The protest aims to force a dramatic increase in the minimum pension and the national minimum wage.

A Call to the Streets

CHP Deputy Veli Ağbaba issued a fiery call to action via a social media video, urging the country’s retirees to stop being “hostages” to poverty.

“I am calling out to the retirees sentenced to 20,000 TL and civil servant retirees denied lump-sum raises: Rise up and challenge this government,” Ağbaba stated. He criticized a planned meeting of the Plan and Budget Commission intended to offer a mere 1,000 TL raise, labeling it a “comedy”. “Don’t be embarrassed in front of your children and grandchildren. Raise your voice. If we are together, we will not surrender to this order of poverty”.

Özgür Özel: “The Word ‘Retiree’ Has Been Erased from Erdogan’s Vocabulary”

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel joined the rhetoric, accusing President Erdoğan of intentionally ignoring the plight of the poor.

• Erased Vocabulary: Özel claimed that after reviewing recent presidential speeches, the word “retiree” has effectively been deleted from Erdoğan’s lexicon.

• Historical Comparison: He noted that during previous coalition governments—often criticized by the current administration—the lowest pension was equivalent to 1.5 times the minimum wage. By that standard, he argued, the lowest pension today should be approximately 42,000 TL.

• Exploding Poverty: Özel provided government figures showing that the number of people receiving the lowest pension surged from 3.7 million in July to 4.9 million in just six months.

The CHP Proposal: 39,000 TL for All

The CHP’s primary demand is to set both the minimum wage and the lowest pension at 39,000 TL.

“For the first time in history, the minimum wage was announced below the hunger limit,” Özel said, noting the announced 28,000 TL figure fell short of the 30,000 TL hunger threshold. The party has proposed a comprehensive support package that includes SGK premium subsidies ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 TL to protect small businesses while sustaining higher wages.

Despite harsh criticism and “insults” from the ruling AK Party, Özel vowed that the CHP would remain in the General Assembly to ensure the “oppression” of retirees remains at the top of the national agenda.