Italy is going through a dramatic demographic crisis: there are no more, or very few, babies there. 1.24 children per woman. This is the last European rank with Spain. In France, it is 1.80.
But those few tenths and hundredths make a huge difference, and not just statistically.
The consequence is an uncertain future for an increasingly old Italy, with a population that continues to decline, even less than 2% this year.
In Italy, the number of births has fallen by almost 30% in 10 years only.
Luisa Salaris, geographer at the University of Cagaliari in Sardinia: “In the most pessimistic scenario, we can imagine that everything will go from bad to worse, with an Italian population that could be halved in the next 30 years”.
This birth rate crisis does not have a single cause: it is precarious jobs, the lack of prospects or economic uncertainty, but also – and this is specific to Italy – the absence of a family policy. . It took until March 2022 to see the appearance of family allowances.
The single check, as it is called, is between €50 and €175 per month depending on household income. A bonus of 100 euros is provided for large families, beyond 4 children.
Another transalpine peculiarity: the absence of crèches. Raising a child or working, the dilemma of Italian women is more acute than anywhere else in Europe.
Current Board Chair Giorgia Meloni has made family one of her favorite topics. She even created a ministry dedicated to family matters.
The consequences of this inexorable decline affect all sections of society: schools are closing, the health system is saturated by an increasingly elderly population.
Reporter: Bruce de Galzain
Sound recording: Virginie Lorda
Director: Jérôme Chelius assisted by Martine Meyssonnier
Mixage : Dhofar Guerid
FOR FURTHER :
The challenges of the demographic decline of the Italian population Population & Future Analyzes 2023/1 (N° 43)
Italy: accelerated aging and its consequences The World, 06/16/2019
Italy facing the demographic winter Sherbrooke University, 11/19/2019