Kılıçdaroğlu Promises No Tax on Minimum Wage in Turkey
The leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has taken to social media to draw attention to the ongoing economic crisis in the country. In a video posted on Twitter, Kılıçdaroğlu criticised the government for passing over the “worker like a cylinder” and called for greater support for white-collar workers, who he argued are just as vulnerable as those in blue-collar jobs. He argued that “all segments of society in Turkey, except for a small group, are besieged by the economic crisis, especially the food crisis and the housing crisis it triggered”, and warned that “inequalities make the upper income groups richer, the middle income groups wiped out and the lower income groups full of anger”.
Kılıçdaroğlu claimed that the middle class has been destroyed in Turkey and highlighted the rising poverty line, which has reached 31,240 liras. He argued that no system can withstand such levels of poverty, and called for policies to help rebuild the middle class. The opposition party leader outlined a series of measures, including attracting investment and creating investment in new technology, aimed at boosting the economy.
Kılıçdaroğlu also pledged to establish technology high schools in organised industrial zones to provide young people with the skills they need to succeed in the modern economy. He argued that supporting women’s participation in the workforce and spreading industry across the country would also be key to strengthening the middle class.
In conclusion, the opposition leader called upon citizens to vote for change, stating that “there is only one job left; send these incompetents. One vote or one vote. That’s all it takes. Stay with love”. Kılıçdaroğlu’s rallying cry comes amid growing frustration with the government’s handling of the economic crisis in Turkey. Recent polls suggest that many are dissatisfied with President Erdogan’s response to the crisis, and that there is a growing desire for change among the population.
