Turkey’s youth deprived, disillusioned and discontent ahead of May 14 elections, report shows

Photo: Ankara University

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The Habitat Association released its fifth report on the "Well-being of Young People in Turkey." The study, ongoing since 2017, found that employment conditions heavily impacted young people's satisfaction and hopefulness about the future.

The organization interviewed 1,228 youth between the ages of 18-29 across 28 provinces in Turkey. According to the study in 2017, 70.8 percent of young people were content with their lives, but this year's research found that this ratio had dropped to 45.6 percent.

Likewise, in 2017, 66.6 percent of young people were optimistic about their future, whereas this year's figure was 43.7 percent.

bianet spoke with several young people about their situation.

'I am not satisfied with my life'

"I am not satisfied with my life. You know that you are only young once, but this awareness is something difficult in our country's tiring conditions. You're young, but you can't have fun. You're young, but you can't explore the world. You're young, but you can't take up new hobbies. You're young, but you're not young at all," Yusuf B., a 25-year-old working in an advertisement agency, states.

Deniz G., a 25-year-old Social Media Specialist, is similarly pessimistic about their living conditions, "I am not satisfied with my life, but I love life so I can still be happy in my living conditions which I know are very standard. I encounter dozens of events that lower my motivation daily. Still, I have to endure to maintain my current conditions."

43 percent of youth want to live abroad

28 percent of young individuals desire to pursue further education abroad, while 43 percent aspire to reside in another country. Half of them believe they have the potential to actualize these ambitions, the research indicates.

Dilara Y., who has difficulty even obtaining a visa to travel abroad, believes that she will not be able to live in another country even if she wants to: "I would like to live in a place where I can get rewarded for my efforts, education, and hard work. I want to feel good and safe, but it's even hard to get a visa to travel abroad. I paid 3,800 lira (176,80 Euro) for a passport, but I don't know if I can get a visa. It seems like a difficult request under these conditions."

Deniz G. expresses these livings conditions make it tough to live in Turkey, "I don't want to live in another country, I love my country very much, but I am not happy with my life standards in my country. I want to live in a Turkey where people are happy and positive, and my family and I can live in humane conditions with a high standard of living. In a country where everything is becoming concrete, and even people are not different from walls, I still have hope, and I don't want to be forced to escape from my country."

Young people's biggest issue: Cost of living

Only 38 percent of young people are satisfied with their financial situation. This rate has decreased from 61 percent in 2017 to 38 percent today.

Inflation and the cost of living are the top issues that young people are currently facing, followed by unemployment and difficulties in finding jobs. Other common concerns are the high cost of rent and street violence, according to the report.

ENAG Inflation Research Group, an independent institution established in 2020 to monitor inflation in the country, has reported that Turkey's annual consumer price inflation rate was 105.19 percent in April 2023, significantly higher than the official claims of 43.68 percent.

Surging inflation and high living costs are a primary concern for young voters when they cast their ballots in the parliamentary and presidential elections on May 14, with other concerns being unemployment and the inability to find a job, the Habitat Association points out.

The association reported that 80 percent of young people experience relative poverty, meaning that their income falls short of requiring their needs.

The income of young people is between 3,000 lira and 9,000 lira (approximately 140 - 418 Euro), while the amount they need is between 9,000 lira and 18,000 lira (approximately 418 - 837 Euro).

"I work and only spend money on myself. I have no responsibilities because I live with my family, but despite this, I am psychologically in distress because we work for meager wages. I compare the schools I have attended, the exam stresses, the effort I have made to get to this point, and my salary at the end of the month. This makes me even more demoralized," Dilara Y. explains, adding that the lack of financial security is also a significant problem, preventing to youth from looking into the future and having courage.

Deniz G.'s income, likewise, is insufficient.

"I am not satisfied with my financial situation. I have an income that almost meets the minimum requirements of human living. Even though I live with my family and don't have to pay for home-kitchen-bill expenses, as a young person at 25, going to a concert or theater event with my friends even puts a strain on my budget," says Deniz. 

Youth crucial in upcoming elections

Furthermore, the research indicates that young women do not feel secure in their residential areas.

Where in 2017, 55 percent of women felt safe, this number has now declined to 48 percent. Although this percentage has also decreased among young men, it remains higher than that of young women. In 2017, 70 percent of young men felt safe in their residential areas, and dropped to 60 percent as of now.

"I do not feel safe in a country without justice. I am terrified. I am very worried about the safety of myself, my family, my loved ones, and thousands of people I don't even know. I'm afraid knowing that I'm living in a state of possible panic attacks," Deniz G. remarks.

The general discontent among young voters might be crucial on election day. Approximately 5.2 million young, which represents eight percent of the electorate, who have reached voting age since incumbent Erdoğan's ascent to power in 2003 will cast their first votes.

According to a recent survey, only 20 percent of those aged 18-25 will vote for the sitting head of state and his ruling party. (AD/HA/WM/PE)