Retirees Enter 2026 with Protest: “We Are in Kadıköy Against Poverty Wages”

ISTANBUL – Seeking to draw attention to the economic conditions of retirees in Turkey, the Voice of Retirees Association has decided to take to the streets on the last day of the year. The association will hold a sit-in on Wednesday, December 31, at 18:00 in front of the Atatürk Statue at the Kadıköy Pier Square in Istanbul, under the slogan "We want to live humanely.".

"RETIREMENT IS NOT A FAVOR, IT IS THE FRUIT OF LABOR"

In the official statement released by the association, it was emphasized that pensions remain at a "poverty level," and it was stated that instead of participating in New Year's celebrations, they would be seeking their rights. The statement included the following remarks:

“We are not entering a new year; we cannot make ends meet. Retirement is not a favor; it is the reward for years of hard work. We do not want charity; we want what is rightfully ours. Living humanely and an egalitarian order are rights.”

A CALL TO PROTEST, NOT CELEBRATION

Stating that they will not participate in the New Year's celebrations of the government and the business world, the association's management invited all retirees and their supporters to Kadıköy on Wednesday. The statement concluded with the words, "We are not giving up on this right. We will be in the squares on the last day of 2025 to say that we want to live humanely."

Protest Details:

• Location: Kadıköy Pier (In front of the Atatürk Statue)

• Date: Wednesday, December 31

• Time: 18:00