Fatih Erbakan addresses economic and social issues in Van

Yeniden Refah Party Chairman Fatih Erbakan visited Van to attend the party’s 3rd Ordinary District Congress. During his speech at the Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Erbakan emphasized national unity, stating that the region has been a center of brotherhood for a thousand years and will continue to resist divisive external influences.

Erbakan also delivered sharp criticisms regarding Turkey’s economic situation. He argued that current policies reward interest income while punishing production and employment. He noted that the state’s interest payments in the first eight months of the year exceeded the annual budget of the Ministry of National Education. Furthermore, he highlighted the struggles of the industrial sector, citing declining capacity utilization and a high number of concordat declarations.

In Van specifically, Erbakan pointed to significant economic challenges, including high youth unemployment, migration, and low per capita national income, which ranks the city 79th in Turkey. He claimed the city’s potential is being wasted due to inadequate employment opportunities.