In social insurance systems—particularly in pay-as-you-go (PAYG) models—pensions are financed by contributions from the younger population when individuals encounter the risk of old age. Thus, the cycle continues as each generation supports the previous one. However, this solidarity may be undermined if the system, which is founded on the principle of trust, grants benefits to those who are not yet exposed to the risk of old age. In Türkiye, the old-age insurance system has frequently been subject to political interventions, especially during election periods, which has weakened the principle of solidarity in its operation. Following the previous experiences, Law No. 7438—enacted in 2023—granted pension rights to those insured on or before 08/09/1999, provided they meet all conditions except for the age requirement. This legislation reopened the path to retirement after 20 years of work for women and 25 years for men. While the law received strong support from those within its scope of the law, it sparked criticism, particularly among younger generations who were excluded from its scope. This study aims to explore the support and opposition triggered by the implementation of Law No. 7438, based on post titles and user comments (entries) published on the online platform Ekşi Sözlük. Using content analysis, five thematic categories were identified to achieve this purpose. According to the findings, 64% of the 103 titles and 67% of the most popular 400 entries in the 10 titles with the highest number of entries (most-discussed) express opposition to the law. The most prevalent theme was “Generation X, Y, Z / Child / Young / Old.” Additionally, 129 of the sampled entries (i.e., over 32%) emphasized intergenerational perspectives. The law has thus generated visible tension between “non-elderly elders” and younger generations.
Ethics Committee approval was not required for this study. The authors declare that the study was conducted in accordance with research and publication ethics. The authors confirm that no part of the study was generated, either wholly or in part, using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. The authors declare that there are no financial conflicts of interest involving any institution, organization, or individual associated with this article. Additionally, there are no conflicts of interest among the authors. The authors declare that their contribution ratios to the study are as follows: First Author 70%; Second Author 30%.
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Social Justice, Social Security |
Journal Section | Research Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | September 30, 2025 |
Submission Date | November 17, 2024 |
Acceptance Date | September 8, 2025 |
Published in Issue | Year 2025 Volume: 12 Issue: 3 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The author(s) bear full responsibility for the ideas and arguments presented in their articles. All scientific and legal accountability concerning the language, style, adherence to scientific ethics, and content of the published work rests solely with the author(s). Neither the journal nor the institution(s) affiliated with the author(s) assume any liability in this regard.