TÜRKIYE: ERDOĞAN WARNS OF ‘DISASTER’ AS FERTILITY RATE FALLS TO RECORD LOW

Tue 25 November 2025:

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that Türkiye is facing a demographic disaster after official data showed the country’s fertility rate has dropped to 1.48 children per woman, the lowest level on record and far below the population replacement threshold.

Speaking at the Family and Culture-Arts Symposium in Ankara on Wednesday, Erdoğan said the sharp decline poses a threat to the country’s long-term stability, urging stronger measures to safeguard the family institution.

He said: “We are taking measures against gender-neutrality impositions and LGBT movements, allowing no concessions or complacency.”

He stressed that Türkiye is protecting the family in a period where global capitalism is opening new fronts, and cultural imperialism and digital encirclement are intensifying worldwide.

Erdogan said the declining fertility rate is “sounding loud alarm bells for our future,” and that “no one who cares about this country’s destiny can be indifferent.”

A steep demographic slide

Figures released by the Turkish Statistical Institute confirm that Türkiye’s total fertility rate has continued to fall despite government incentives promoting marriage and childbearing.

Demographers note the pace of decline has accelerated in the last decade as social and economic pressures reshape family life across the country.

The replacement level — the rate required for a population to sustain itself — is roughly 2.10. Türkiye’s fertility rate has now fallen below that of many European Union member states, a reversal from previous decades when it sat well above Western averages.

The president linked the fertility drop to what he described as growing cultural and technological pressures undermining traditional values.

Erdoğan has increasingly framed demographic issues as a struggle over cultural identity, arguing that family structures are being eroded by modern lifestyles, online content, and shifting social attitudes among younger generations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends Family and Culture-Arts Symposium at Bestepe National Library in Ankara, Turkiye on November 20, 2025. ( TUR Presidency/Murat Cetinmuhurdar – Anadolu Agency )

Economic realities

Economists and sociologists also point to more immediate factors: the rising cost of living, expensive childcare, housing pressures, and a labour market in which women’s participation has gradually increased.

Marriage age has climbed, household sizes have shrunk, and many young couples report postponing or abandoning plans for children due to financial uncertainty.

The government has made demographic policy a defining theme of its agenda. Erdoğan has repeatedly urged families to have at least three children and has established a new Population Policies Council to coordinate nationwide efforts to boost birth rates.

The administration has also promoted family-centric campaigns, floated new support packages for married couples, and placed restrictions on non-medically necessary C-sections in private hospitals.

Demographers warn that if current trends persist, Türkiye could face rapid population aging, labour shortages, and rising pressure on pension and healthcare systems — challenges already confronting countries such as Japan, South Korea and Italy.

Although Türkiye’s population remains relatively young compared with Europe, the window for reversing the trend is narrowing.

This article is republished from 5 Pillars. Read the original article.