A matter of survival: Turkey's 'Lost Generation' dilemma
Eurostat data shared by economist İnan Mutlu has revealed the alarming scale of youth unemployment and lack of education in Turkey. Turkey has become the clear leader across Europe in the proportion of young people who are 'neither in education nor in employment'.
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The young generation, viewed as the future of Turkey, is facing the danger of being pushed out of the system.
According to a table prepared by economist İnan Mutlu based on 2025 data, 26.3% of young people between the ages of 15 and 29 in Turkey are neither studying in a classroom nor producing in a workplace.
This rate means that approximately 5 million young people are completely outside the social and economic system.
The Gap with Europe is Widening
In the shared data, Turkey has significantly outpaced its closest followers, North Macedonia (23.4%) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (20.0%). Considering that the European Union average is 11.0%, the gravity of the situation in Turkey becomes clearer. When compared to countries at the bottom of the list such as the Netherlands (5.3%) and Sweden (5.9%), the rate of young people remaining outside the system in Turkey is approximately 5 times higher.
"This is the Real Matter of Survival"
In assessments regarding the issue, it is emphasized that this situation is not just an 'unemployment figure,' but rather a harbinger of a social collapse. In a structure where young people are being 'deprived of a future,' not only the 5 million young people outside the system but also the situation of children within the system has become a subject of debate. The recent increase in 'school massacres' and violent incidents is presented as evidence that young people within the education system are also not receiving sufficient guidance and attention.
Millions Pushed Out of the System
Experts describe this picture as Turkey's true 'matter of survival.' The disconnection of young people from production and education brings with it serious consequences such as:
Increasing social despair,
Psychological collapse and a tendency toward violence,
Loss of qualified labor and economic regression. The fact that approximately 5 million young people are trapped in the status of 'NEET' (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) is turning Turkey's demographic window of opportunity into a threat.
In conclusion; the numbers are not just statistics, they echo as the cry of a generation facing extinction. The common view in public opinion is clear: A system that cannot protect its youth and cannot offer them a future does not appear to be sustainable.