Public Policy on Cooperatives: A Qualitative Analysis of Türkiye’s Strategy and Action Plans

Background: In recent years, the social and solidarity economy (SSE) has emerged as a central framework on inclusive and sustainable development. The recent studies illustrate their institutionalisation in different regions, contributions to sustainability, challenges for transformative potentials, and comparison of public policies. Research objectives: The first objective was to situate Türkiye and its public policy on cooperatives within the global outlook. Another aim was to track the continuity and change in this public policy. Research design and methods: This study adopted a qualitative approach and applied a thematic analysis. Two documents used in this research, namely the Turkish Cooperatives Strategy and Action Plan (2012–2016) and Türkiye Cooperative Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2029), stand as the most significant policy papers about cooperatives. Results: The thematic analysis compares the contents, strategic objectives, actions, governance frameworks, similar themes, and paradigm shifts, as well as strengths and weaknesses. Conclusions: The study shows that Türkiye tends to favour top-down, market-oriented social enterprises over grassroots and transformative organisations.