FeniksPolitik
  • Home
  • About
  • Topics
    • Themes
      • COVID-19
      • Economy
      • Energy and Environment
      • Human Rights and Democracy
      • Migration
      • Security and Defense
    • Regions
      • Turkey
      • Americas
      • Asia
      • Balkans
      • Europe
      • Middle East
      • Russia and Eurasia
  • Analysis
  • Interview
  • FeniksPod
  • Synopsis
No Result
View All Result
Newsletter
DONATE
FeniksPolitik
  • Home
  • About
  • Topics
    • Themes
      • COVID-19
      • Economy
      • Energy and Environment
      • Human Rights and Democracy
      • Migration
      • Security and Defense
    • Regions
      • Turkey
      • Americas
      • Asia
      • Balkans
      • Europe
      • Middle East
      • Russia and Eurasia
  • Analysis
  • Interview
  • FeniksPod
  • Synopsis
No Result
View All Result
FeniksPolitik
No Result
View All Result

50 Percent Participation in Turkey’s Labor Force Illuminates an Economy on the Brink

Turkey’s official statistical institute reports decreases in the unemployment rate. Nonetheless, experts argue that the data is unreliable and simply represents the government’s attempt to whitewash the economy’s failing performance.

Hamdi Fırat Büyük Hamdi Fırat Büyük
January 12, 2021
in Synopsis
Reading Time: 2 mins read

On January 11, the state-owned Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) released its most recent figures on Turkey’s labor force for 2020.  The official numbers have caused worry not least for their economic implications but also for their flawed and opaque methodological foundations.

According to the figures, Turkey’s unemployment rate has fallen by 0.7 percent to 12.7 percent, while non-agricultural unemployment has fallen 0.9 percentage points to 14.8 percent.

For the 15-64 age group, unemployment has fallen by 0.7 percentage points to 13 percent, with non-agricultural unemployment rates following a similar trend.

Youth unemployment (encompassing those between 15 and 24 years of age) has fallen by 0.4 percent to 24.9 percent. Last year, it was at 30.6 percent during this period.

These figures reveal that one in every four young people was neither in school nor working in the last year. When considering this in combination with last year’s figures, it could be estimated that one in every three Turkish youths is unemployed.

MustRead

Turkey-Greece Tensions Rise With A Risk Of Conflict Ahead Of Elections

Turkey Confronted With Irregular Inflation Data

What Turkey’s Opposition Should Keep In Mind When Selecting A Presidential Nominee

Despite this gloomy picture, the statistics on Turkey’s labor force participation rates have caused many to question the reliability of the above-mentioned decreases in unemployment. Even though, the rates of unemployment decrease as the official data suggests the number of people who join the labor force continue to decrease dramatically.

According to TurkStat, Turkey’s labor participation rate shrank by 3 percent this year, leveling out at 50 percent. Approximately 31.5 million Turks were participating in the economy in the third quarter of 2020, that’s 1.3 million less than the same period last year.

In other words, only 31.5 out of 62.8 million working-aged Turks, and a total population of 82 million, are working.

According to the data, Turkey has the third lowest labor participation rate in Europe after Kosovo and Moldova.

Experts fear that the Turkish economy could actually be in even direr straits as they accuse the government of manipulating official data to portray a rosier picture.

Regardless of the accuracy of the official figures, everyday Turks are feeling the effects of a failing economy as they grapple with rising inflation, a weakening Lira, continually increasing taxes, and soaring commodity prices; all this in the midst of a pandemic.

A recent study published by Kadir Has University in Istanbul shows that 51.8 per cent of Turkish citizens think that their economic conditions worsened in 2020 and the high cost of living and unemployment are the greatest problems in the country.

Tags: economic crisisEconomic dataEconomyTurkeyTurkish Politics
ShareTweetShareSend

Related Posts

Turkey’s Policies Towards Bosnia Wander Between Myth and Reality
Synopsis

Turkey’s Policies Towards Bosnia Wander Between Myth and Reality

March 15, 2022
Is The EU Promoting ‘Stabilitocracies’ In The Western Balkans?
Synopsis

Is The EU Promoting ‘Stabilitocracies’ In The Western Balkans?

February 15, 2022
Documentary: Turkey Uses Islam to Increase its Soft Power in Bosnia
Synopsis

Documentary: Turkey Uses Islam to Increase its Soft Power in Bosnia

December 1, 2021
EU Warns of Democratic Backsliding in Turkey
Synopsis

EU Warns of Democratic Backsliding in Turkey

October 21, 2021
International Law and Conventional Economy Lag Behind Environmental Crisis
Synopsis

International Law and Conventional Economy Lag Behind Environmental Crisis

October 7, 2021
Internet and Media Freedoms Continue to Decline in Turkey
Synopsis

Internet and Media Freedoms Continue to Decline in Turkey

October 5, 2021
Load More
Newsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter below and never miss the latest articles or podcasts.

Name
Email
Affiliation

Our Picks

Great Expectations and Even Greater Challenges await Biden on the World Stage

Great Expectations and Even Greater Challenges await Biden on the World Stage
Fatih Çüngürlü
December 25, 2020

With Joe Biden’s election victory, many countries expect the US to once again play a more assertive and constructive role in international and regional affairs. Nonetheless, the Biden administration’s attempts to reengage will undoubtedly be met with significant challenges from Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe.

Read more

Report: EU And US Should Restore Cooperation In Eastern And Southeastern Europe

Report: EU And US Should Restore Cooperation In Eastern And Southeastern Europe
Hamdi Fırat Büyük
February 3, 2021

A recent Carnegie Europe report argues that the EU and US should work to restore cooperation after years of distance under the Trump Administration. By doing so, they may better position themselves to promote democracy and rebuild influence in the face of disruptive actors such as Russia, China, and Turkey.

Read more
  • Home
  • About
  • Topics
  • Analysis
  • Interview
  • FeniksPod
  • Synopsis

© 2022 FeniksPolitik | High-quality analyses, interviews, and podcasts on Turkey, international politics and security affairs.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Topics
    • Themes
      • COVID-19
      • Economy
      • Energy and Environment
      • Human Rights and Democracy
      • Migration
      • Security and Defense
    • Regions
      • Turkey
      • Americas
      • Asia
      • Balkans
      • Europe
      • Middle East
      • Russia and Eurasia
  • Analysis
  • Interview
  • FeniksPod
  • Synopsis
Newsletter Signup

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter below and never miss the latest articles or podcasts.

Name
Email
Affiliation
Go to mobile version
Send this to a friend