Turkey close to a centenary: where we are?

On the way to the centennial of its founding, the Republic of Turkey faces new challenges and forced to devote great efforts to solving problems. Until 2023 four years left, but now there is no doubt that the current government of the country and the ruling Justice and Development Party (RPS) can approach this date even more weakened under the weight of growing problems.

Since the end of August, the Turkish army and security forces launched a “counter-terrorism operation” in the southeast codenamed Kıran in six provinces. Kıran-2 stage, beginning on August 19 from the Kurdish-populated provinces, the operation covered three more areas – Mardin, Şirnak and Batman.

Unemployment and economy

The state of Turkish economy is too far from normal. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) classifies the economy as the 5 largest in Europe. After Germany, Britain, France and Italy, with a GDP of $ 2.3 trillion in terms of purchasing power parity. But these figures misleading – Turkey’s GDP per capita is much lower and it is the best indication of the well-being of people.

Turkish Finance Minister, the son-in-law of President Erdoğan, Berat Albayrak said at the end of August that GDP per capita is 9,632$. It is lower than in 2007 and less than in other European countries, with the exception of the Balkan ones. He also indicated that the proportion of people under the age of 14 among the 82 million people in Turkey higher than in Europe. And the percentage of people over 60 is the lowest.

Unemployment in Turkey reached 12.8% in May, the highest level since the AKP came to power in 2002. With the exception of a sharp increase during the 2008 global economic crisis. Non-agricultural unemployment comes to 15%.

Meanwhile, inflation in Turkey deviates significantly from the average in developed and developing countries. Turkey now ranks sixth in the world in terms of inflation as in 1999.

Turkey’s import of machinery and equipment fell to the level of 2008, which indicates problems in the manufacturing sector.

The question of how Turkey will pay off external debt has long been called into question by international rating agencies. Rising unemployment in the country makes it particularly difficult.