Pope Francis has cautioned that having a family in Italy is turning into a ‘titanic effort’ that only the wealthy can afford.
Speaking at a seminar on Italy’s demographic crisis, he claimed that many households were substituting children with dogs.
According to the BBC, numerous young individuals wearing t-shirts that said “we can do this” and making references to persuading parents to have more children were present on stage as well.
In his speech, the Pope said the declining birth rate signalled a lack of hope in the future, with younger generations weighed down by a sense of uncertainty, fragility and precariousness.
He said, “Difficulty in finding a stable job, sky-high rents and insufficient wages are real problems.”
Birth rates are slowing in many countries such as Japan, South Korea, Puerto Rico and Portugal.
But a shrinking population is a major worry for Italy, which is the third-largest country in the eurozone.
The country could lose almost a fifth of its residents by 2050. At the same time, the population is ageing quickly – the number of centenarians in Italy has tripled over the last 20 years.
Italy is often dubbed “The country of empty cribs”. Even Elon Musk tweeted last month: “Italy is disappearing!”
Experts warn the population crisis will lead to the impoverishment of the nation. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said that by 2042, Italy’s declining birthrate would end up reducing its gross domestic product (GDP) by 18%.
There are many reasons why women in Italy are having fewer babies.
It is challenging for women to balance work and family life since young people frequently have difficulty finding secure jobs and the childcare support system is frequently insufficient.
In a joint address with Pope Francis, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared that the declining birth rate in Italy “is a national emergency.”
In Italy, the picture of the two leaders speaking together while completely covered in white served as a powerful symbol of how vital the problem is and how it transcends politics and religion.
The issue must be resolved immediately. We want Italy to once again have a promising future,” she declared.
Despite not considering herself a feminist, Meloni, who garnered the majority of women’s votes in the September elections, has made moms.
She has created an ad hoc ministry to address the issue of declining birth rates and her government has hinted at encouraging people to have children by exempting them from paying income tax.
Pope Francis called for politicians to find “forward-looking solutions to avoid Italy degenerating into sadness”.
Italy has one of the lowest fertility rates in the EU and births dropped below 400,000 last year – a new low.
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