Politics · Turkey · 8 hrs ago
Turkey's finance minister sets out goals for inflation and growth
Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek outlined Turkey's economic goals at a panel held at the ruling AK Party's headquarters.
He said bringing inflation down to single digits is the top priority, arguing that this would help people on fixed incomes and support investment.
Simsek also said the government would maintain fiscal discipline and wants Turkey to move from long-running current account deficits to a surplus.
He said that goal would require more domestic oil and gas production, renewable energy, higher-value manufacturing and service exports.
Simsek said fairer income distribution is another priority and pointed to tax policy as one way to address it.
He argued that the eastern and southeastern regions could become new growth engines, citing their young populations and existing infrastructure.
He linked that prospect to the government's “Terror-Free Turkey” process, but gave no timetable for achieving the economic targets.
Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek said Turkey’s main economic priority is to bring inflation down to single digits.
He said the government aims to maintain fiscal discipline and build an economy that runs a current-account surplus.
Şimşek also called for a fairer distribution of income and said the eastern and southeastern regions could become new engines of growth.
He made the remarks at a panel at the AK Party headquarters about the party’s years in power and its future goals.
- Who
- Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek.
- What
- He set out goals including single-digit inflation, fiscal discipline and a current-account surplus.
- When
- November 3, 2026.
- Where
- An AK Party panel at the party’s headquarters in Turkey.
- Why
- To discuss Turkey’s economic policies and goals for the coming period.
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- Inflation goal
- Single digits
- Current-account goal
- A surplus
- Growth regions
- Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia
- Regional median age
- About 26 in Southeastern Anatolia
- Growth comparison
- 4.7% average real growth in 1923–2002; 5.3% during AK Party governments
What people are saying
Our priority in the economy is single-digit inflation.
Turkey wants to run a current-account surplus through producing more oil and natural gas domestically, renewable energy, high value-added industry and large service exports.
These regions are young, we have brought infrastructure to them, established universities and opened schools.
From now on, during AK Party governments, these regions can become Turkey’s new growth engine.