National Assembly in May: Youth Issues Factsheet

This policy brief summarizes the highlights, speeches, and key data concerning youth-related issues in the Turkish Grand National Assembly in May, based on information compiled from the Assembly’s published minutes. A particularly noteworthy point in this brief is the increase in the number of speeches on youth-related issues due to Youth Week, which also includes 19 May. Members of Parliament from the ruling party referred to investments for young people, the Youth Festival, the Teknofest Generation, and the Year of the Family. Opposition MPs, on the other hand, emphasized young people’s economic poverty, the employment crisis, housing problems, the hopelessness created by all these issues among young people, and the rise in youth suicides. Throughout May, youth-related issues were discussed a total of 48 times.

Key Themes

Youth hopelessness, youth migration abroad, and youth suicides: Opposition MPs stated that young people no longer have hope for either Turkey or their own futures. In this context, young people’s desire to migrate abroad was mentioned 3 times by MPs from CHP, DEM Party, and İYİ Party. Youth hopelessness was brought to the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly 2 times by MPs from DEVA Party and DEM Party. The increase in youth suicides was highlighted by 4 MPs: 2 from İYİ Party, 1 from CHP, and 1 from DEM Party.

The harsh interventions and arrests carried out throughout the year in response to young people’s activism were discussed 4 times in the Turkish Grand National Assembly by MPs from DEM Party, CHP, and İYİ Party.

The inadequacy of KYK scholarships/loans and dormitories experienced by young people during their university education was raised 3 times by MPs from CHP, DEM Party, and İYİ Party. Opposition MPs stated that these problems are not limited to students’ university years and emphasized 4 times the lack of merit in appointments and interviews encountered when entering employment, with 3 mentions by CHP MPs and 1 by a Felicity Party MP.

Notable Data

Youth-related issues were brought to the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly 48 times throughout May. By political party, CHP MPs spoke on the issue 10 times, İYİ Party MPs 9 times, DEM Party MPs 11 times, AKP MPs 7 times, and DEVA Party MPs 5 times. MPs from Yeniden Refah Party and MHP each spoke on the issue 2 times. MPs from the Future Party and the Felicity Party each addressed youth-related issues once.

The MP who spoke most frequently on youth-related issues in the Turkish Grand National Assembly throughout May was Uğur Poyraz from İYİ Party.

The MPs who addressed the highest number of youth-related problems were Mehmet Emin Ekmen from DEVA Party, Yılmaz Hun from DEM Party, and Aykut Kaya from CHP.

In addition, a debate took place between AKP MP Zehranur Aydemir and CHP Deputy Group Chair Ali Mahir Başarır regarding young people’s problems and their capacity for representation.

Conclusion

In May, discussions on youth-related issues in the Turkish Grand National Assembly took place largely in the context of Youth Week. These discussions brought to the agenda both claims regarding increasing opportunities and investments for young people and, conversely, the problems they are forced to face. As Arayüz Campaign, we will examine laws and new processes in terms of their impact on youth in our future work.