* Turkey's young population aged 17-25 is estimated to be 12 million 719 thousand people by 2025. Ten years ago, in 2011, the young population was 12 million 219 thousand people. The young population has increased by 4% in 10 years.
Happiness levels are falling, concerns are rising
The study highlighted the decline in young people's happiness levels. While 55% of respondents said they were happy in 2015, this figure dropped to 33% in 2025. Restrictions on freedoms and fear of financial hardship have become common concerns for 8 out of 10 young people.
Another striking finding in the report was young people's outlook on the future. A similar decline was observed in future planning. Half of individuals aged 17-25 are unable to plan for a period longer than five years. Hope and foresight for the future are steadily declining. Eight out of ten young people fear becoming destitute and dependent on others.
Eight per cent of young people identify themselves as poor, while a large proportion are struggling to make ends meet. This situation has a negative impact on both their access to education and social life. Young people's participation in cultural life is also very limited, with only 16 per cent of them holding a passport. Eight out of every ten young people have never travelled abroad.
Education levels have risen, conservatism has declined
In 2015, 67% of young people aged 17-25 had a high school education or higher, while this rate rose to 84% in 2025. During the same period, the percentage of young people who identified as ‘modern’ rose from 42% to 59%, while the percentage of ‘traditional conservatives’ fell from 37% to 31%, and the percentage of ‘religious conservatives’ fell from 20% to 10%.
Tolerance and support for individual rights increased
Young people have become more tolerant of differences. In 2015, the percentage of those who viewed positively the idea of their son-in-law or daughter-in-law being of a different religion was 31%, while this percentage rose to 58% in 2025. Similarly, positive attitudes towards different ethnic origins rose from 50% to 70%, and acceptance of marriage to individuals of a different sect reached 69%.
The percentage of young people who accept that their children may have different sexual orientations has also risen from 11% to 21%.
Significant changes were also observed in attitudes towards women's rights. The percentage of those who said, ‘Women should be able to have an abortion if they want to,’ rose from 30% to 55% over the past 10 years, while the percentage of those who said, ‘Women should ask their husbands for permission to work,’ fell from 57% to 22%.
Active on social media, but distant from civil society
According to the study, 90% of young people are neither members, volunteers, nor donors to any civil society organisation. In contrast, social media usage has increased significantly. 98% of young people use social media. Young people mainly use WhatsApp and Instagram. LinkedIn had the lowest usage rate, with only 10% of respondents using the platform.
The usage rates by platform are as follows:
- WhatsApp: 94% (56% in 2015)
- Instagram: 92% (39% in 2015)
- YouTube: 84% (44% in 2015)
- Twitter/X: 56% (34% in 2015)
- TikTok: 47%
- Facebook: 28% (77% in 2015)
- LinkedIn: 10%