Reproductive rights and bodily autonomy matter in their own right. Part of our Gilead Watch campaign, this blog explores Turkey’s demographic changes and the impact of Erdoğan’s pronatalist policies.

Erdoğan’s Pronatalist Agenda

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has long been urging Turkish families to have more children. In 2008, he declared that families should have “at least three children” to sustain the country’s demographics. Since then, he has repeatedly emphasised that large families are essential to Turkey’s strength.

In 2016, he sparked controversy by stating that women who choose not to have children are “deficient” and “incomplete.” He has also linked Turkey’s declining birth rates to moral and societal decay, frequently criticising feminism for undermining traditional family values.

Erdoğan’s government has backed these words with policies. In 2025, Türkiye designated the year as the “Year of the Family” and announced birth-support payments for eligible children born from 1 January 2025. His administration has also rolled back reproductive rights, restricted access to contraception and portrayed LGBTQ+ communities as threats to traditional family structures.

2025 Birth and Fertility Statistics

TurkStat recorded 895,374 live births in 2025 and a total fertility rate of 1.42 children per woman. The total fertility rate is a period measure based on age-specific rates; it is not a prediction of how many children any individual woman will have.

Economic instability is a significant factor. Inflation has eroded wages and housing costs have soared, making child-rearing increasingly unaffordable. Many young people, particularly women, are prioritising careers and education over early motherhood. Urbanisation also plays a role, with families in cities tending to have fewer children than those in rural areas.

Meanwhile, restrictive policies on contraception have not reversed this trend. Turkey ranks poorly in contraceptive access compared to other European nations. Reduced reproductive autonomy has not resulted in higher birth rates but has instead limited women’s control over their family planning decisions.

Rethinking the Population Debate

Reproductive rights and bodily autonomy matter in their own right. Population change is not a policy goal; public debate should focus on people’s wellbeing and access to services as society changes.

A declining birth rate does present challenges, including an ageing population and potential labour shortages. However, these issues can be managed through policies that support older workers, encourage workforce participation and invest in education and automation.

Reproductive rights and gender equality matter in their own right. Everyone should be able to make informed decisions about whether and when to have children.

While Erdoğan calls for higher birth rates, the country’s population dynamics are shifting due to economic realities, social progress and changing personal priorities. Recognising and adapting to these changes, rather than resisting them, will be key to shaping Turkey’s future, sustainably and justly.