GERMANY REPORTS SHARP DECLINE IN BIRTH RATE

Sun 27 October 2024:

The birth rate in Germany has fallen sharply from 1.58 children per woman in 2021 to 1.35 this year, according to a report published Wednesday by the ifo Institute for Economic Research.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the resulting loss of real income due to high inflation “have led many young families to temporarily postpone their plans or desire to have children,” said researcher Joachim Ragnitz from the ifo Dresden branch.

The report highlighted an overall decline of nearly 13 percent in Germany’s birth rate between 2021 and 2023, with a particularly striking drop of 17.5 percent in the eastern states.

“In total, almost 80,000 fewer children were born in 2022 and 2023 than would have been expected,” Ragnitz said.

This trend mirrors a broader decline in fertility rates across most countries in the European Union (EU). Eurostat data released earlier this year showed that the number of live births in the EU fell below 4 million in 2022, marking the lowest level since 1960.

However, the decline in the birth rate is not just a German phenomenon in a European comparison. Data from the European statistics agency Eurostat show that birth rates fell in most EU countries up to 2022. Estonia, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Finland recorded a particularly sharp decline of 10 percent or more compared to 2021 in 2022 .

The birth rates fell significantly less in Italy and Cyprus (1) as well as in France , Spain , Poland , Hungary and Croatia (3 each) than in Germany (minus 8 percent). An increase was only observed in Portugal (plus 6 percent) and Bulgaria (4).

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Europe has been experiencing a significant birth rate decline for decades. Many European countries are below the “replacement rate” of 2.1 children per woman, necessary to keep a population stable without immigration.

Factors contributing to this decline include economic pressures, high costs of living, shifting cultural values, delayed marriages, and an emphasis on careers, particularly among young adults. This drop threatens to shrink Europe’s working-age population, impacting social services and economic growth.

Pope Francis has voiced concern over this trend, emphasizing the importance of family and urging governments to adopt policies supporting young families and child-rearing. He worries that declining birth rates reflect a loss of hope and value in family life, which could weaken societal cohesion.

The Pope has encouraged both the Church and political leaders to create supportive environments for family life, addressing financial burdens and encouraging pro-family values.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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