21.12.2025 15:05
In the 27,530 applications made to the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Petition Committee, prominent demands included a four-day workweek, extending maternity leave after childbirth to 24 weeks, and granting parents the right to work remotely. It was noted that new legal regulations are needed for the majority of these applications regarding working life and working hours to be implemented.
According to the information compiled from the last decision table of the 28th Term 3rd Legislative Year, there were numerous requests for new legal regulations regarding military service, disability rights, working life, environmental and consumer safety among the applications submitted to the TBMM Petition Commission.
REQUEST FOR DISCOUNT ON PAID MILITARY SERVICE
In one of the petitions submitted to the commission, it was requested that married individuals who have not completed their military service be allowed to serve in the district where they reside or in a nearby barracks, and that they receive at least the minimum wage during this period. In another application, a discount on the paid military service fee, exemption from military service, or ease of postponement for married and working citizens was requested. Additionally, requests for the improvement of the personal rights of specialist sergeants were also among the petitions submitted to the commission.
REDUCTION OF WORKING HOURS FOR WOMEN
In the applications related to working life, it was requested to transition to a four-day workweek, to shorten the working hours of female employees, to allow one of the parents to work remotely until their children turn five, and to extend maternity leave after childbirth to 24 weeks. Some petitions also requested that mothers who give birth in 2025 benefit from the upcoming regulations.
In the applications, it was requested to change the term "disabled" in the Constitution to "people with disabilities," and to include more comprehensive provisions for individuals with disabilities in the Constitution. Additionally, there were requests to include individuals with hearing impairments among the groups benefiting from the Special Consumption Tax (SCT) exemption for motor vehicle purchases, and to legally guarantee that disabled public servants cannot be relocated without their consent. Some applications called for increased penalties for the ownership of dangerous dog breeds, as well as more deterrent regulations regarding environmental pollution and smoking bans.
COMPLETELY BAN SMOKING IN OPEN AREAS
The request to restrict or completely ban smoking in the open areas of cafes and restaurants was also among the petitions submitted to the commission. It was emphasized in the reviews that new legal regulations are needed to implement these requests. In another petition, it was requested to allocate an account for the 112 Emergency Service line in instant messaging applications.
75% OF PETITIONS ARE FROM MEN
The Petition Commission stated in its reviews that a large portion of these requests requires a new law or an amendment to an existing law. It was noted that the authority to propose laws belongs to the members of parliament according to the relevant articles of the Constitution and the TBMM Internal Regulations, and that the petitions cannot be discussed by the commission in this context.
It was expressed that the process regarding citizens' requests for legal regulations can be followed from the law proposal section on the official website of the TBMM. Furthermore, it was stated that the total number of petitions received by the commission was 27,530. Of these applications, 85% were made in the form of e-petitions, while 75% of the petitions came from men and 25% from women.