Turkey declares war on low birth rates with a family decade

Erdogan's government has raised the alarm over the falling birth rate in Turkey, which in 2025 recorded only 895,374 babies, the lowest figure since 2001. To curb this trend, 2025 has been declared the Year of the Family and a Decade of the Family and Population is being prepared between 2026 and 2035. An ambitious plan seeking to reverse a phenomenon that seemed to have been avoided.

Turkish family sitting around a wooden dining table, parents holding hands while a single child eats baklava, empty chairs around them symbolizing missing siblings, government decree document with official stamp and crescent moon emblem on the wall, demographic chart on a tablet showing declining birth rate graph, traditional Turkish tea glasses on table, warm ambient lighting from a brass chandelier, cinematic photorealistic style, intimate family scene with political undertones, soft golden hour glow through lace curtains, emotional tension in parents’ faces, ultra-detailed textures on ceramic plates and copper tray, dramatic shadows emphasizing empty space

Technology as an ally to boost demographics 🤖

The Turkish plan includes economic and fiscal incentives, but also a technological approach. It envisions the creation of digital platforms to facilitate access to aid, as well as artificial intelligence systems to identify regions at higher risk of depopulation. Additionally, reproductive health apps and fertility calendars integrated with the public health system will be promoted. The idea is that technology not only informs but pushes young people to meet the quota of babies the state needs.

Erdogan asks for one baby per household and free Wi-Fi is not convincing 😅

While the government distributes pamphlets on the benefits of parenthood and promises aid, Turks seem more interested in maintaining their internet connection than in filling the cradle. Some young people already joke that the plan will include a robot nanny with Erdogan's voice to remind them when it's time to procreate. For now, the official strategy looks more like a diaper advertisement than a real solution, and the birth rate continues its free fall, indifferent to presidential speeches.