Nergis Demirkaya [email protected]

DEM Party's Öcalan visit, minimum wage, and the AKP congress

Sources note that no immediate results are expected from a single meeting with PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan and at least a few meetings will be necessary. As in the previous peace process, a clear and definitive statement may be made on March 21 during the Nevruz celebrations.

Thursday December 26 2024 11:00 pm

All eyes in Ankara are on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party delegation’s upcoming visit to Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), at İmralı Prison. According to sources close to the government, the meeting, expected to take place before the end of the year, is increasingly likely to occur tomorrow.

It has been a month since the government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli said, “We expect face-to-face contact between the DEM group and İmralı to take place without delay.” Reports suggest the meeting was previously planned but postponed due to recent developments in Syria.

Government sources reiterated that the meeting would occur before the year ends. They added, “It won’t be surprising if Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan, who have participated in such talks before, take part. The first meeting will serve as a ‘preliminary discussion.’ Afterward, changes to the delegation or an expansion of the team with new names may be possible.”

The messages conveyed during the DEM Party delegation’s first visit will spark debates both within the DEM Party and among the public. Sources noted that no immediate results are expected from a single meeting and that at least a few sessions will be needed. They also pointed out that, similar to the past peace process, a definitive statement could be made on March 21, during the Nevruz celebrations. For government sources, the desired announcement would be “the PKK’s disarmament and the dissolution of the organization.”

AKP defends minimum wage decision

After months of debate, the new minimum wage was finally announced. Despite the 30% increase falling far below expectations, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “We have once again upheld our promise to protect our workers against inflation.” Highlighting the progress made under the new economic program, Erdoğan added, “God willing, 2025 will be better than the previous year. With a little more patience and effort, we will achieve far better outcomes.”

“22,000 lira lasts six months, not three”

The new minimum wage has also become a major focus for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) figures. Addressing the limited 5,000-lira increase, an AKP Central Executive Board (MYK) member stated, “We must preserve the country’s competitiveness and maintain employment. A 10,000-lira increase would have caused proportional increases across all sectors. This would mean that the value of the new wage would drop after three months. Instead, this wage will now last 5-6 months.”

“Let's endure two more years of hardship instead of constant struggle”

Many AKP officials argued they acted in the interest of all 85 million citizens. They countered criticisms of the minimum wage, saying, “We are not dictating a specific salary but are setting the minimum possible amount.” They also shifted responsibility to private companies.

Another AKP member pointed out that increasing the minimum wage would also raise severance pay and insurance premiums. “Many things are tied to the minimum wage. The key issue is production. If there are three glasses on the table and we increase wages tenfold, the value of these glasses will also increase tenfold. But we are focused on producing a fourth glass. If we can do that, we’ll achieve a stronger economy.”

Economy-focused AKP officials emphasized their commitment to the current economic program, saying, “Turkey is a globally influential country, and our biggest problem is the economy. We need to solve this issue. The new economic program is being implemented, and the indicators are not heading in a bad direction. That’s why we need to hold on a little longer. It’s better to endure two more years of difficulty than to live in constant struggle.”

Changes to the AKP congress timeline

The AKP’s 8th Ordinary Grand Congress, expected to bring significant changes, began in late September. District congresses were completed within a month. Initially, the goal was to hold the grand congress in April or May 2025 after the provincial congresses. However, President Erdoğan has now called for the provincial congresses to conclude by the end of February.

While no specific date has been set, AKP officials stated they are preparing to hold the congress by the end of February. The decision to move the congress forward was attributed to Ramadan, which begins in early March. Officials explained, “If the grand congress is scheduled after Ramadan, the earliest possible date would be mid-April or early May.

However, this would cause the excitement and energy of the provincial congresses to fade. Holding the grand congress immediately after the provincial ones will better reflect the party’s momentum.”