Turkey prepares to declare Nevruz an official holiday

Preparations are underway to add Nevruz (March 21) to Turkey's official holiday calendar. A legislative proposal, following instructions from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is expected to be submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) during the new legislative session starting in October.

If the amendment to the Law on National Holidays and General Holidays is passed, the total number of official holidays in Turkey will increase from 15.5 to 16.5 days. The proposal aims to grant Nevruz official holiday status, which would result in the closure of public institutions, schools, and universities on March 21.

While several proposals to declare March 21 a holiday have previously been submitted by various political parties and remain in committee, the current AK Party-led initiative is nearing its final stages. If enacted, the first implementation of Nevruz as an official holiday is projected to occur on March 21, 2027.