Minister Göktaş: We are continuing policies that strengthen the family due to the decline in fertility rates

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş made important statements at the AK Party Provincial Advisory Council Meeting in Erzincan. Minister Göktaş emphasized that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a very serious transformation has been experienced in the field of social services over the last 24 years, and that Turkey serves as a worldwide example not only with infrastructure investments but also with citizen-oriented social service policies. At the meeting, it was stated that the family is the basic building block of society and social support mechanisms are shaped according to this center. In this context, she expressed that legal and financial regulations aimed specifically at preserving family integrity have become one of the most important features that distinguish Turkey from other countries.

One of the most critical issues highlighted in Minister Göktaş's speech was Turkey's current demographic risk status. Although it is a scientific fact that the total fertility rate required for the country's population to renew itself needs to be at the level of 2,1, it was announced that this rate in Turkey fell to 1,42 last year. In light of this data, she stated that the primary purpose of the measures they take as a ministry is to protect the demographic structure and that family-oriented social policies will be further strengthened to reverse this decline. She emphasized that supporting the family institution is not just a social preference, but a strategic necessity for the country's future.

Details of the interest-free marriage loan support program, implemented to improve the current demographic outlook and facilitate the marriage journey of young people, were shared. According to the program, interest-free credit opportunities ranging from 120 thousand to 150 thousand lira are offered to young couples who meet the age requirement. The support in question not only provides financial ease at the time of marriage but also includes additional incentives that lighten the burden of debt when a child is born. It was stated that this system allows young people to establish a home earlier and more safely, setting aside their economic concerns.

One of the most striking aspects of the marriage loan program was the amount of debt waived based on the number of children. Minister Göktaş announced that for families welcoming their first child, the monthly installment amount of their loan debt is erased by the state as a grant, and the payment period for the remaining debt is deferred. Recalling that President Erdoğan had heralded the regulation for the complete erasure of the loan debt for couples having a second child, she went even further. It was emphasized that the aim is to support families' decisions to have children by relieving them of financial burdens.

In the final part of her speech, sharing data on the current outcomes of the program, Minister Göktaş reported that approximately 100 thousand couples across Turkey have benefited from this support, and approximately 200 thousand young people have established homes as a result. It was stated that the number of children born to couples who married within the scope of this support program approached 14 thousand, suggesting that the policy is creating the desired effect. Reiterating that protecting the young population is of great importance for Turkey's future, Göktaş added that social supports strengthening the family will continue to increase in the coming period.