New legislation introduced to reform public sector recruitment procedures

On April 8, the Council of Ministers approved three bills aimed at reforming public sector recruitment, which were submitted to Parliament. The legislation includes the Law on the Evaluation of Candidates for Appointment to the Public Service of 2026, the Public Service (Amendment) Law of 2026, and a law regarding temporary provisions. Key changes include moving the written examinations to a date after the announcement of vacancies, allowing candidates to target positions for which they are qualified. Vacant positions will now be published within the first two months of each year instead of every four months to accelerate hiring. The requirement for Parliament to approve position lists annually is abolished to reduce bureaucracy. Responsibility for conducting exams shifts to the Public Service Commission, dissolving the previous special committee. Candidates must now declare their order of preference, and those appointed to their first choice will be removed from other selection processes. For 2026, no new general written examinations will be held, with 2025 results being utilized instead.