Workers’ Party protests permanent daylight saving time

The Ankara branch of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) staged a demonstration today at 06.30 a.m. outside the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources in Ankara to voice their opposition to the year-round daylight saving time. 

In a statement made in front of the ministry, they expressed their discontent with the decision, which was justified with the seemingly absurd claim of "making better use of daylight," resulting in “plunging us nation into darkness” during working and school hours in winter. 

The statement highlighted the financial impact on citizens, saying, “While workers grapple with the soul-crushing bills, this decision, made for energy monopolies to profit even more, has been implemented to date by turning a deaf ear to the objections and rebellions of the suffering citizens." 

The statement conveyed the challenges faced by young people, workers, and fellow citizens who hit the roads not for learning or producing but merely to survive.  

Turkey switched to year-round daylight saving time zone (UTC+3:00) in 2016, using the meridian time from the easternmost part of the country. Critics argue that the government implemented this practice to increase energy consumption, boost the profitability of electricity distribution companies, and align the country with the same time zone as Arab countries. 

Despite criticism, the government shows no intention of reversing the decision. On December 13, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated that the year-round daylight saving time would remain unchanged. "In Istanbul, the sun rises at 8:20 am, in Paris at 8:34 am, and in Berlin at 8:30 am. There is no issue there; I find it difficult to understand why there is a problem here," he said. (TY/VK)