Falcon powers – Italy is experiencing one of the lowest rates of population growth in the world, and the issue of increasing birth rates is not only an Italian problem but also a challenge that encompasses all of Europe. Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in the European Union, and its population is aging at a much faster pace compared to other European countries. Addressing this crisis is a key policy issue for the government and a top priority on the agenda of the “Brothers of Italy” party in the European Union.
A conference held in Rome for two days provided an opportunity to discuss what is described as a joint national emergency among political parties. The intervention of a group of young activists who criticized government measures against abortion highlighted the ongoing political divide on this issue.
The organizers emphasized that it was a private institution behind the event and not the government.
Gigi di Palo, the president of the Birth Foundation, said, “It is not a problem related to one political side or another. It is an issue that concerns everyone, all political spectra, and all social groups, including immigrants and the elderly.”
A woman dies every two minutes in the world during pregnancy or childbirth, and experts say that if this trend continues, Italy’s population, currently at 59 million, could decrease by about one million by 2030.
According to the latest data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the average number of children per woman decreased from 1.24 in 2022 to 1.2 in 2023.
The aging population poses problems for both retirement systems and healthcare.
Sabrina Prati, the Director-General of the International Institute of Statistics, says, “One of the main characteristics of the Italian situation is the continued crisis over the years. Since 2008 until today, we have lost around 200,000 newborns. Two-thirds of them are due to the fact that their potential parents do not exist, due to a decline in births that goes back 30 years.”
The government allocated nearly one billion euros in 2023 alone for measures aimed at assisting women in dealing with motherhood and work.
Adriano Bordignon, the president of the National Forum for Families, said, “We are talking about an extremely difficult challenge with historical dimensions for the entire Western world. Ideally, Europe should intervene and call for an international government conference to discuss this issue.”
According to the National Statistical Office, the number of births in the previous year was 404,892, a decrease of 15,192 births compared to 2019. The number of deaths in 2020 was 746,146, which led to a decrease in the population to 59.3 million. The Statistical Office stated that the decline in births has continued this year, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be one of the reasons for this.
Gigi di Palo, the president of the Birth Foundation, said, “It is not a problem related to one political side or another. It is an issue that concerns everyone, all political spectra, and all social groups, including immigrants and the elderly.” Experts say that if this trend continues, Italy’s population, currently at 59 million, could decrease by about one million by 2030.
According to the latest data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the average number of children per woman decreased from 1.24 in 2022 to 1.2 in 2023.
The aging population poses problems for both retirement systems and healthcare.
Adriano Bordignon, the president of the National Forum for Families, said, “We are talking about an extremely difficult challenge with historical dimensions for the entire Western world. Ideally, Europe should intervene and call for an international government conference to discuss this issue.”
