Turkey Expands Interview-Based Hiring for Contract Staff, Sparking Favoritism Concerns

Turkey's government has broadened the scope of positions that can be filled through interviews, a move that critics contend opens the door to favoritism and nepotism in public sector hiring. This decision comes despite strong opposition from labor unions concerned about the fairness and transparency of the appointment process.

Specifically, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the State Archives Presidency are now included in the list of institutions that can hire contract personnel based solely on interview performance. Previously, these positions often required a score from the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS) in addition to any interview. The new regulation allows these ministries to bypass the KPSS requirement entirely for certain contract roles.

Labor unions have voiced significant concerns, arguing that relying heavily on interviews without a standardized examination like KPSS can lead to arbitrary selections. They believe this system is susceptible to bias and may not always identify the most qualified candidates. The expansion of this hiring method is seen by some as a step backward in ensuring merit-based recruitment within the public administration.