Frustrated by their lack of marriage prospects, a group of single men in the Turkish village of Uzumlu have taken to the streets in protest. The women of the remote village are apparently refusing to accept any marriage proposalz made by the men because they do not want to be trapped there forever. And the men think they’re being ridiculous.

The last wedding in Uzumlu took place nine years ago, and since then the population of the village has dwindled from 400 to 233. According to mayor Mustafa Bashbilan, many women have chosen to move away from the village to cities like Istanbul and Ankara, but the men stayed behind to care for their inherited farm lands. He added that the lack of prospective wives has made the men unhappy, although they are economically well off.

In the recent protests, 25 men aged between 25 and 45 marched through the village carrying banners, demanding that the women come to terms with village life. One banner appealed to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan for help. Erdogan has been severely criticised for opposing birth control and asking women to bear at least three children, but the protesting men promised to impregnate their wives with five children if the president intervened in the matter.

While I wouldn’t put it past the Turkish President to take the men of Uzumlu up on their offer, I think it will take more than that to stop the footloose women of the village!

Sources: Daily Mail, Al Arabia