Turkey pension system faces inequity concerns

Social security expert Özgür Erdursun has highlighted significant discrepancies in the current Turkish pension system, noting that the distinction between different levels of contribution is being eroded by the minimum pension application.

Erdursun points out that while the legal framework accounts for premium days and earnings, the practice of supplementing low pensions to a fixed minimum level means that individuals who worked significantly longer or paid higher premiums receive nearly the same amount as those with minimal contributions. For example, a worker with 9,000 premium days may see little difference in their actual bank deposit compared to someone with only 3,600 days if both fall below the minimum threshold.

This imbalance creates several systemic risks, including an increase in informal labor and a lack of incentive for employees to report their true wages. Erdursun suggests that the solution lies in separating social assistance from social insurance: the state should support low-income retirees through social aid, but the pension system itself must ensure that higher premiums and longer working periods result in meaningfully higher monthly payments.