Türkiye unveils 10-year plan to spark baby boom

ISTANBUL

Türkiye has launched a comprehensive 10-year plan to combat falling birth rates and reinforce the family unit, as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warns that these demographic shifts pose an increasing threat to the nation’s future.

“We have designated the 2026–2035 period as the ‘Family and Population Decade,’” Erdoğan said, emphasizing that the strength of a nation “lies in its families, in the children raised in its homes and in the values passed down through generations.”

He added that falling fertility, rising divorce rates and delayed marriages are trends that require urgent and coordinated action.

Official data shows that the country’s total fertility rate fell to 1.48 in 2024, remaining well below the replacement level of 2.1 for eight consecutive years.

Marriage rates declined last year and divorce rates continued to rise, reflecting shifting social patterns, including later marriages, smaller households and a growing share of people living alone.

The presidential circular, published in the Official Gazette, sets out a comprehensive framework that places the protection and strengthening of the family at the center of public policy.

Under the plan, all government strategies, research and institutional programs will be evaluated based on their impact on family structure and demographic change, while public institutions will be required to adopt a pro-family and pro-natalist approach in their work.

Authorities aim to make marriage more accessible and socially encouraged, particularly among young adults, while promoting long-term marital stability.

At the same time, the plan envisions policies that support parenthood and incentivize childbirth, including a stronger emphasis on the social value of motherhood and fatherhood and additional backing for larger families.

The initiative also includes measures to address broader societal dynamics, from expanding youth development policies to improving elderly care systems through sustainable social security and family-based support models.

It further seeks to tackle regional imbalances by encouraging a more even population distribution, promoting rural revitalization and reshaping urban spaces with a family- and child-oriented perspective.

Legal frameworks will be reviewed and updated in line with these goals, while academic research and data collection on demographic trends will be expanded under the coordination of the Family and Social Services Ministry.

The plan also foresees media regulations and awareness campaigns designed to promote “family-friendly” content and strengthen public consciousness around demographic challenges, alongside the introduction of an annual “family week” to reinforce social engagement.