AKP facts: How millions were crushed by inflation?
According to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), annual inflation has already exceeded the 30 per cent increase in the minimum wage at the beginning of the year. Moreover, the increase for those in the private sector earning more than the minimum wage fell below this rate. Thus, millions were crushed by inflation under the current administration.
The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) announced the inflation figures for November.
Inflation rose by 0.87 per cent in November compared to the previous month and by 29.74 per cent compared to December of the previous year.
It increased by 31.07 per cent compared to the same month of the previous year and by 35.91 per cent compared to the twelve-month average.
‘THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T CRUSH US’
AKP President Erdoğan has repeatedly stated, ‘We will not let inflation crush our citizens.’ However, the figures reveal how the government's economic policies are crushing workers. Inflation has already surpassed the increase in the minimum wage.
The minimum wage was increased by 30 per cent in 2025. The net minimum wage was raised from 20,002.50 TL to 26,005.50 TL.
BELOW INFLATION
Average gross wages in the private sector, which were 37,523 TL in December 2024, rose to 44,247 TL in February 2025. The increase in February compared to December was 18 per cent. In August, average gross wages in the private sector increased by 8 per cent to 47,677 TL. As of August, the increase compared to December of the previous year remained at 27 per cent. Average wage increases in the private sector were 3 percentage points below the minimum wage increase and 4.1 percentage points below inflation.
In sectors where average wages are 1.5 times or more above the minimum wage, the increase was spread over January and July, with total increases in many sectors well below 31 per cent over the two periods. For example, the total increase rate for the two periods was 5 per cent in the postal and courier activities sector, 13 per cent in the supporting activities for warehousing and transport sector, and 17 per cent in the construction of non-residential buildings sector.
Meanwhile, the monthly salaries and wages of public servants and civil servant pensioners saw a total increase of approximately 29.5 per cent in 2025. Thus, the pay rise received by public sector workers has already been eroded by inflation.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled AKP gerçekleri: Milyonlar nasıl enflasyona ezdirildi?, published in BirGün newspaper on December 3, 2025.
