Decisive Week in the Turkish Parliament: Judicial Reforms and Pension Increases

After a one-week break due to the NATO summit, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey resumes its legislative activities today, July 12, 2026, focusing on three main pillars: economy, judiciary, and education [1]. This week is recognized as one of the busiest legislative periods of the current calendar year, and the decisions made are expected to have a direct impact on the livelihoods of millions of Turkish citizens.

The 12th Judicial Package: Accelerating the Trial Process One of the most important items on the parliament's agenda is the review of the '12th Judicial Package.' This bill, drafted with the aim of increasing efficiency and speed in the judicial system, proposes significant structural changes. According to this plan, the interval between court hearings in civil lawsuits must not exceed 3 months to prevent the undue prolongation of cases [2]. Additionally, reforms regarding cybercrimes and bank fraud (known as IBAN fraud) are considered, under which sentence reductions are envisioned for individuals who only provided their account information to fraudsters [1][4].

Furthermore, in line with the rulings of the Constitutional Court, changes will be implemented in the execution of sentences and the suspension of the announcement of the verdict (HAGB). Specifically, crimes such as torture and ill-treatment will be excluded from the scope of HAGB to maintain the judiciary's decisiveness in dealing with such cases [2].

Pension Increases and Economic Reforms Another part of the parliament's activities will focus on the Planning and Budget Commission. Based on six-month inflation data, the increase rate for Social Security (SSK) and Bağ-Kur retirees has been set at approximately 17.76% [3]. According to the new bill, the minimum pension is set to increase from 20,000 Lira to 23,552 Lira [1]. This measure, which carries a financial burden of approximately 79.3 billion Lira for the government budget, is aimed at supporting vulnerable groups against inflation [3].

Academic Amnesty and a Second Chance for Students The '2026 Student Amnesty' plan, presented to the parliament as a 28-article bill, is good news for thousands who have been unable to continue their education for various reasons. This plan includes students who, from July 1, 2022, onwards, either voluntarily withdrew or were expelled from universities [4]. Eligible individuals can return to their university seats for the 2026-2027 academic year. However, it should be noted that those convicted of terrorism, murder, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse are excluded from this amnesty [5].

Alongside these matters, the Turkish Parliament will hold a special ceremony on July 15 to mark 'Democracy and National Unity Day,' and representatives from major technology platforms such as Meta, Google, and TikTok have been summoned to the relevant commissions to answer regarding school safety [1].