HÜDA PAR condemns New Year's Eve extravagance amidst rising poverty
The Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR) has issued a statement condemning the lavish spending on New Year's Eve celebrations while millions of Turkish citizens struggle to make ends meet.
HÜDA PAR underlined that the minimum wage set for the year is "almost at the hunger limit," expressing a deep disappointment for low-income workers struggling to meet basic needs. The party highlighted the stark contrast between the minimal earnings of workers and the extravagant spending on New Year's Eve festivities, which they describe as a "striking example of injustice in income distribution."
The statement specifically pointed out the exorbitant fees paid to entertainers on New Year's Eve, with figures reportedly reaching up to 20 million Turkish Liras, equivalent to nearly 75 years of minimum wage work. HÜDA PAR condemned these celebrations, labeling them as part of a "capitalist consumer culture" that encourages waste and ostentation, particularly when juxtaposed with the dire conditions in Gaza, where children suffer from hunger and cold.
"We are faced with such an unfair picture," the statement read, emphasizing the disparity where young people, unable to live off their wages, cannot even dream of marriage. This situation, according to HÜDA PAR, showcases a lack of sensitivity towards the future of youth and society, with spending on entertainments marked by "alcohol, drugs, and obscenity" seen as corrupting influences.
The party further argued that celebrating New Year's Eve, which they claim is opposed by people of conscience even in the West, while ignoring the plight in Gaza, is akin to "putting a nail in the coffin of humanity." They stressed that during times when "mercy, justice, morality, and law are being slaughtered alongside innocent children and women," it is fundamental for individuals to abstain from such wasteful and insensitive practices.
This critique from HÜDA PAR comes at a time when discussions about economic policies, income inequality, and social values are at the forefront of public discourse in Turkey, as reflected in posts found on X. (ILKHA)