Why Erdogan declared 2025 as the ‘Year of the Family’?

In a bid to arrest Türkiye’s demographic decline, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared 2025 the “Year of the Family.”

Turning to the alarming decline in the population growth rate, President Erdogan said Türkiye was “losing blood”.

The urgency is clear: Türkiye’s population growth has plummeted.

Speaking in Ankara on January 13, the President introduced a series of measures aimed at supporting young couples, incentivising marriage, and facilitating parenthood.

The initiative combines financial incentives with cultural campaigns to bolster marriage rates and encourage parenthood, addressing one of the country’s most pressing social and economic challenges.

"While the total fertility rate in Türkiye was 6.5 in 1960, it dropped to 4 in the 1980s, to between 2 and 2.5 in the early 2000s, and to 1.51 today,” Professor Mehmet Fatih Aysan, Director of Population and Social Policies Centre at Marmara University, told TRT World.

Unlike Western Europe, where similar declines occurred over a century, Türkiye, a country of 85 million people, has undergone this decline in just five decades.

Türkiye’s annual population growth rate dropped from 2.53 percent in 2015 to 0.23 percent 2024. The consequences are stark: an aging population, a shrinking workforce, and mounting pressures on social security systems.

“The rapid decline has placed significant strain on the economy, social relations, and the social security system,” says Aysan.

Aysan likened family to a “protective unit” that can stabilise society in times of economic and social risk.

Rebuilding its importance is not merely a conservative ideal, he argued, but a pragmatic solution to ensure Türkiye’s long-term stability.

Socio-economic factors

Aysan remarked that this declining shift of population led to both economic and cultural changes.

“Families living in urban areas have fewer children because in cities it is more expensive because of soaring living costs compared to rural areas,” he noted.

Besides these economic shifts, aspirations for social upward mobility have significantly impacted family planning. An increasing number of young people are marrying later in life and postponing plans to have children, Aysan added.

“In the early 2000s, men married at an average age of 26, while now the average is 29. Women are marrying later, having children later, and preferring fewer children overall,” he noted.

Increased female participation in education and the workforce, alongside the challenges of balancing career and family life in urban environments, have added to the crisis.

Government offers and incentives

Citing the “historical truth that a strong family paves way for a strong nation,” President Erdogan unveiled a series of financial measures to support young families.

For young couples planning to settle down, the government plans to provide financial assistance in the form of grants, low-interest loans, and access to affordable housing.

These measures aim to reduce the financial burdens associated with marriage and starting a family, which are among the main reasons young people delay or avoid marriage.

For parents, Erdogan announced subsidised housing loans, and allowances for childcare services including free or low-cost childcare services.

This includes an interest-free loan of TL 150,000 ($4,890) for young individuals starting families, featuring a two-year grace period and a four-year repayment schedule.

Families with three or more children will receive additional incentives, including enhanced financial benefits and preferential housing opportunities.

The “Year of the Family” initiative also extends beyond financial measures. As it unveiled the initiative, Türkiye has emphasised the protection and empowerment of families as a cornerstone of societal stability.

Several initiatives, including the Family Education Program, Pre-Marriage Education, and family counseling services, aim to bolster family structures in Türkiye.

By promoting open dialogue and offering essential support, these programmes seek to strengthen family ties and secure a prosperous future for the country’s youth.

Universal problem with local solutions?

Türkiye is not alone in facing a fertility crisis. Countries such as Italy, Japan, and South Korea have experimented with a mix of economic and cultural policies to combat fertility decline.

Türkiye’s initiative seeks to address both fronts, aligning short-term economic relief with a longer-term reimagining of family life.

By addressing these issues, Türkiye’s initiative could serve as a model for other nations grappling with similar challenges.

Aysan emphasised the importance of economic measures to reverse the trend but notes that they are insufficient on their own.

“Strengthening the family is not just a conservative aim; it is a practical solution for economic and social stability,” Aysan explained, referring to sociologist Ulrich Beck’s concept of the family as a protective unit in times of societal risk.

The road ahead

While the “Year of the Family” initiative has been praised as a proactive response to Türkiye’s demographic challenges, its implementation requires substantial effort.

Its success would depend on its ability to balance immediate needs with long-term goals, adapting to the complexities of modern society while preserving the values that underpin strong families.

Aysan highlighted the need for a holistic approach. He underscored the importance of balancing immediate incentives with long-term support for families, ensuring the sustainability of these policies.

“Fertility decline is the result of socio-economic transformation,” he said. “Economic factors such as urbanisation, coupled with cultural shifts, must be addressed comprehensively.”