# Turkey demographic decline and fertility rate trends > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-demographic-decline-and-fertility-rate-trends > Updated: 2026-10-16T07:03:30.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Turkey is experiencing a significant demographic shift as its total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level of 2.1. Reports indicate the rate dropped from 2.38 in 2001 to 1.42 in 2025, with 76 provinces currently recording rates below the replacement threshold. Economic factors are identified as primary drivers of this decline. Research suggests that 75.9% of the fertility loss between 2021 and 2025 is due to families choosing not to have a second child, driven by high costs for housing, food, and childcare. Additionally, 83% of working parents with childcare responsibilities lack access to professional care services. In response, Ahmet Selim Yurdakul, Deputy Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has proposed a 20-point “Active Pronatalist Policies” plan. He characterized the population issue as a matter of “national survival” that affects economic capacity, social security, and national defense, urging the state to adopt long-term strategies to address the shrinking working-age population. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-16: Türkiye fertility rate drops to 1.42 amid economic pressures Türkiye's fertility rate fell to 1.42 in 2025, driven by economic pressures and high costs for housing and childcare, according to a new report by the Institute for Social Studies. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trkiye-fertility-rate-drops-to-142-amid-economic-pressures ### 2026-10-08: MHP proposes 20-point policy to address Turkey's declining fertility MHP Deputy Chairman Ahmet Selim Yurdakul proposed a 20-point plan to combat Turkey's declining fertility rate, which fell to 1.42 in 2025, calling it a strategic issue of national survival. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mhp-proposes-20-point-policy-to-address-turkeys-declining-fertility --- Cite as: Turkey demographic decline and fertility rate trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/turkey-demographic-decline-and-fertility-rate-trends