Poverty line for a family of four in Turkey exceeds $1,700

Turkey’s poverty line has risen to 55,691 lira ($1,735), as millions in the country struggle to get by on a minimum wage of 17,002 lira ($529), according to data released by the United Metal Workers Union (BİSAM), an affiliate of the Revolutionary Workers Confederation (DİSK).

The poverty line refers to the total amount a family of four needs to live without feeling deprived of food and the money required to pay other expenses such as rent and utilities.

In February the amount needed for a family of four to maintain a healthy and balanced diet — referred to as the hunger line — also increased, reaching 16,100 lira ($501), BİSAM reported on Friday. The organization determines the poverty line based on various factors including education, health, housing, entertainment, heating and transportation costs, representing the necessary expenditures a family incurs to avoid deprivation.

The increasing costs and widening gap between income and expenses have pushed millions of Turkish families into poverty. Workers earning the minimum wage find it nearly impossible to keep up, and the middle class is feeling the squeeze. The situation is particularly dire for single-income households and individuals living alone, with the poverty line for a single person exceeding 25,000 Turkish lira ($800).

Inflation has become a pressing issue in Turkey, reaching an annual rate of 67.1 percent in February, according to official data.

Over the past several years the country has been suffering from a deteriorating economy, with high inflation and unemployment, as well as a poor human rights record. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is criticized for mishandling the economy, emptying the state’s coffers and establishing one-man rule in the country where dissent is suppressed and opponents are jailed on politically motivated charges.