Kurdish influence to grow amid Turkey’s demographic crisis

Turkey is entering a phase of demographic crisis, posing serious challenges for the country, regional security expert Varuzhan Geghamyan said on Wednesday, sharing an infographics illustrating birth rates across Turkey’s provinces.

According to the data, fertility rates in most parts of the country fall below the replacement level of 2.0 children per woman, with the exception of predominantly Kurdish-populated regions.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently addressed the issue, warning that the national fertility rate has dropped to an alarming 1.51. He described the situation as “a threat more serious than war”.

“Demographically, we are heading toward a troubling future. If this trend continues, our population could shrink by 10 million by the end of the century. This is a matter of survival. If the people do not wake up, we risk losing our ability to maintain a presence in this region,” Erdogan said.

“The Kurdish factor will grow stronger in the coming years due to higher birth rates, posing a real threat to Turkey,” Geghamyan wrote.