The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) will hold weeklong discussions on a wide array of issues and landmark bills before lawmakers are expected to take a lengthy leave starting on Aug. 1. Committees will hear lawmakers’ arguments against and in favor of several bills, while the General Assembly of the Parliament will vote a decision to raise pensions and an omnibus bill colloquially called "Ninth Judiciary Package."

On Tuesday, the General Assembly is expected to implement a new proposal on income tax and raise the lowest pension to TL 12,500 ($379) from TL 10,000, something that will benefit more than 3.7 million people. However, the same package of regulations will also raise the fee Turkish citizens traveling abroad must pay from TL 150 to TL 500. The proposals are expected to be approved on Wednesday and presented to the Presidency for final approval. If the president approves the bill, pensioners will be entitled to receive the extra TL 2,500 of the new minimum pension in the first week of August.

The government had earlier said it had no plan to increase this year's minimum monthly payment, citing its policy tightening and savings plans meant to curb soaring inflation.

Annual inflation dropped to 71.6% in June from a peak above 75% in May, beginning what is expected to be a sustained downward trend. The central bank has kept its policy rate at 50% in recent months after an aggressive tightening campaign and sees inflation ending the year at around 38%.

Under the draft law proposed by the AK Party, only the minimum pension payment would rise with no increase for retirees earning more.

The bill also includes new savings plans aiming to strengthen fair taxation, including a minimum corporate tax.

The General Assembly will also discuss the 9th Judicial Package, which covers several new amendments to Turkish laws. Among them is granting the right to married women to use their maiden last name without a lengthy legal process. Women will be able to change their surname after a written request to the civic registry. The change will follow a landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court that entered into force in January, allowing women to continue to use their maiden names after marriage.

In 2023, the court nullified the provision in Article 187 of the Turkish Civil Code, which mandated that a married woman should adopt her husband's surname. The court cited a violation of the principle of equality in the article.

Parliament will also continue deliberations on a set of bills to improve the rights of teachers.

A heated bill before Parliament is on stray animals, particularly dogs. A subcommittee is set to discuss a proposal by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) for tighter measures against feral dogs responsible for several deaths. The opposition fiercely advocates the removal of the proposal and appears to have gained the favor of several animal rights groups. The bill, whose first three articles were approved by the subcommittee last week after a fervent debate, includes euthanasia for aggressive dogs, prohibited breeds under current laws and those suffering from infectious, incurable diseases. Local administration will be in charge of the practice under the proposal and municipal officials will be sentenced to prison if they fail to comply. It also proposes increasing fines for owners of pets who abandon them.

The population of street dogs in Türkiye is estimated to be 4 million, and 2.5 million dogs have been neutered in the past 20 years by municipalities, according to the draft bill. Under current legislation, municipalities have to neuter and vaccinate all street dogs and leave them where they were found following treatment. There are currently 322 animal shelters with a capacity to host 105,000 dogs, according to the bill. The draft bill also requires all municipalities to spend at least 0.3% of their annual budget on animal rehabilitation services and building shelters. Municipalities will be given time until 2028 to build new shelters and improve current shelters, the bill says. Several animal rights groups have been staging protests for weeks since the bill was proposed and more protests are expected this week. The AK Party defends the necessity of the bill amid a growing number of incidents involving stray dogs. Party lawmakers carried the photos of victims of feral dog attack in the first session of the debate at the parliamentary subcommittee. A report released by the Safe Streets and Defense of the Right to Life Association, an organization campaigning for the removal of all stray dogs from the streets, says that 65 people have died in street dog attacks since 2022. The government promised to tackle the issue earlier this year after a child was severely injured after being attacked by dogs in the capital, Ankara. Britain has recently issued a stray dog warning for travelers to Türkiye, stating that they often form packs and can be aggressive. It has advised visitors to be cautious and avoid approaching them.