Democracy and National Unity Day in Türkiye

A fixed public holiday

Türkiye added July 15 to its general holidays through Law No. 6752, adopted on October 25, 2016. The amendment to the 1981 National Holidays and General Holidays Law names the date Democracy and National Unity Day; the date is fixed each year, rather than set by a movable calendar.[1][2]

The law says official offices and organizations close on general holidays, while preserving rules for organizations that must operate continuously. It does not provide a substitute weekday when July 15 falls on a weekend. For employees covered by the Labour Law, the Ministry of Labour says holiday pay is due when they do not work; working on the holiday brings an additional day’s pay under the stated rules.[1][3]

The event remembered

The holiday marks the attempted coup of July 15, 2016. Türkiye’s Ministry of Justice describes the attempt as targeting the constitutional order, democratic legitimacy and the people’s will, and says it was defeated through public resolve, state institutions and security forces. The day’s official meaning centers on protecting democratic government and remembering those killed and injured.[4]

Commemorations across the country

Observances include ceremonies at memorial sites and public squares. Official reports describe moments of silence, the national anthem, prayers, visits to graves and the laying of flowers. Events also include exhibitions, commemorative tents and digital or interactive displays about the night’s events.[5]

The forms vary by place and occasion. Official accounts from different parts of Türkiye describe both formal ceremonies and public installations or exhibitions.[5]

What to expect as a visitor

Government offices close under the general-holiday law, subject to exceptions for services that must continue. The law does not say that every private shop or service closes. It also does not set one national holiday timetable for public transport, so check local transport operators and individual businesses before travelling or arranging errands.[1]