President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the International Family Forum on May 23 and announced during the keynote closing session speech that Türkiye will designate the years 2026 to 2035 as the “Decade of Family and Population."
The announcement marks a major policy initiative aimed at reversing declining fertility rates and reinforcing the country’s family-centered social structure.
Expressing deep concern over Türkiye’s declining fertility rate, which has fallen to 1.48 children per woman for the first time in the nation’s history, President Erdoğan described the situation as a “disaster,” highlighting that this figure is well below the critical replacement threshold of 2.1.
"This is not just a statistic," he warned, "but a warning signal for our nation’s future."
He also provided an update on the Family and Youth Fund, a government initiative to empower newlyweds.
“So far, approximately 114,000 applicants have sought support through the fund, and the number of eligible couples has reached 41,000,” he noted, underscoring the program’s growing impact.
Turning to global cultural trends, Erdoğan criticized what he sees as the erosion of traditional family structures, warning that as the institution of the family weakens worldwide, individuals are increasingly reduced to mere objects of consumerism under the sway of popular culture. “No matter where in the world, when the family loses altitude, humanity itself becomes commodified,” he stated.
He was particularly vocal in condemning what he termed "LGBT deviance," framing the opposition to such movements as not merely a cultural stance but a broader moral and existential fight. “The struggle against LGBT deviance is, at its core, a struggle for freedom, for dignity and the very future of humanity,” he declared.
Erdoğan also argued that a person disconnected from their family and alienated from their national identity cannot truly achieve individuality or freedom. “No matter how much some refuse to admit it, an individual severed from their family and weakened in their national bonds can never be truly independent or authentic.”
He emphasized that the model of a cooperative, interdependent family structure does not align with the ideals promoted by global market forces, asserting, “The solidarity-based family model is neither endorsed nor desired by the dominant actors of the global economy.”
He also expressed concern over a rising trend, particularly among the youth, of lifestyles centered on personal comfort and individualism. “This lifestyle, which prioritizes personal ease, is unfortunately rapidly seeping into the deepest layers of our society, starting with the youth,” he warned.
The International Family Forum, a two-day event held in Istanbul under the theme “Our Family, Our Future,” brought together policymakers, experts and stakeholders to highlight the central role of the family in shaping societal well-being.
Organized under the auspices of Türkiye’s Ministry of Family and Social Services, the forum was part of the broader 2025 Year of the Family initiative, a national campaign emphasizing the importance of strong, cohesive family structures. The Turkish government prioritized family-centered policies in response to demographic concerns, including a declining birth rate and an aging population.
Officials also underscored the forum's significance in countering what they described as growing global campaigns, particularly by LGBT advocacy groups, that challenge the traditional family model. The event reflected Türkiye’s commitment to preserving cultural values while participating in global dialogue on the evolving nature of family life.
