Demographic emergency declared in Italy

Many believe that the measures taken by the government of Giorgi Meloni are not enough, and the country may soon find itself in a demographic hole, Liter.kz reports.

A decline in the birth rate in recent years has been observed throughout Europe. Euronews notes that this problem is especially acute in Italy. In addition to the fact that the birth rate there is one of the lowest in the European Union, the local population is aging much faster than in other countries of the community.

Preventing a slide into a demographic hole is one of the main tasks of the Italian government and the ruling coalition led by the Brothers of Italy party. But the authorities’ methods, especially their upcoming bill on abortion, are causing criticism and a lot of questions from sociologists and local NGOs. This was clearly demonstrated by the two-day conference in Rome dedicated to demographic problems. Participants agreed that there was an “emergency situation” in the country.

It is estimated that if the trend continues, by 2030 Italy’s 59 million population will decrease by almost 1 million people.

According to the Italian National Statistical Office (ISTAT), if in 2022 the total fertility rate (that is, the number of children per woman on average) was 1.24, then a year later it dropped to 1.2. And the aging population places a heavy burden on the pension system and healthcare.