President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan unveiled a broad range of state-backed family incentives while vowing to defend traditional values and national unity against what he called harmful social trends and terror threats.
Speaking at the “Strong Family with Mother, Strong Türkiye with Family” program organized by the AK Party’s Women’s Branch, Erdoğan said 2025 had been declared the “Year of the Family,” and introduced new financial supports to encourage childbirth and marriage.
He announced that families would receive a one-time payment of TL 5,000 ($130) for their first child, TL 1,500 per month for the second child until the age of five, and TL 5,000 monthly for the third and any additional children up to the same age.
In a bid to ease financial pressure on young couples, Erdoğan reaffirmed the launch of the “Supporting Young People to Marry” project.
The program offers newlyweds TL 150,000 in interest-free credit, repayable over 48 months after a two-year grace period.
If the couple has a child during that period, the debt can be postponed by up to 12 months.
Initially piloted in the earthquake-hit regions, the project has since expanded nationwide.
So far, 7,652 couples have benefited, with more than 29,000 eligible to receive the credit.
He added that under the family initiative, intercity travel for families would be discounted by up to 40%, reinforcing the state’s push to make family life more accessible and sustainable amid economic challenges.
Erdoğan underscored that the government is fighting what he described as “cultural corrosion” driven by consumption habits and foreign ideologies.
“We are taking all necessary measures to prevent deviant currents like LGBT from corrupting our society,” he said. “Our uncompromising stance on alcohol, gambling, online betting, and drugs is aimed at protecting families – especially women and children.”
He claimed that alcohol addiction, though some circles hesitate to admit it, is among the root causes of domestic violence and cited its link to broader social issues such as crime, suicides, workplace conflicts, and traffic accidents.
Erdoğan lamented that many homes have been broken and children left orphaned due to substance abuse, asserting, “Whatever we do, we do to support families.”
Terror-free Türkiye
Turning to national security, Erdoğan tied the protection of family structures to the state’s long-standing battle against terrorism. “We are determined to rid our country of the scourge of terror that has brought deep pain to our people for over 40 years,” he said. “We are progressing step by step toward a Terror-Free Türkiye.”
He praised the ongoing efforts of intelligence and security forces and stressed that the state remains vigilant without leaving any gaps. “With divine help, the support of our people, and especially the sincere prayers of mothers, we believe we will reach this goal.”
The president closed his remarks with a vow to not allow the country to be destabilized by those who seek division, chaos, and bloodshed.
“We will respond to those trying to divide us by embracing one another even more tightly. We will answer those who seek to separate us by closing ranks,” he said, calling for unity in building a century marked by democracy, development, peace, and justice.
He ended his speech by congratulating all mothers on Mother’s Day, praising their central role in shaping the future of Turkish society.