In Italy, the decline in the birth rate continues, and if the current trend persists, the government predicts a reduction in the number of students aged three to eighteen by 1.4 million by 2034, which will lead to the closure of many schools. The head of the "Totoiskola" foundation, Giovanni Vinsinger, noted: "Italian schools are disappearing like melting icebergs, and water is the source of life, while schools are essential for society." He added that "the figures are indeed shocking, and this trend began in primary schools and, without a doubt, is spreading to middle and high schools."
The decline in the birth rate in Italy occurs for several reasons, including the striving for stable employment, while for those who find suitable work, the system of childcare support is not always sufficient. Many pregnant women are forced to quit their jobs as it is difficult to combine work and family life, and then they struggle to return to work. Some of them choose not to have children. However, one of the main factors is the reduction in the number of women of childbearing age.
Sociologist of the Milan-Bicocca University, Giorgia Siragidi, indicated: "Economic problems and the lack of social support influence the level of birth rate, but the long-term trend lies in the fact that fewer and fewer women are giving birth." She added: "The model of motherhood has also changed; the criteria for leaving adulthood have altered, and therefore greater attention is paid to the necessary investment in raising a child while also worrying about the uncertain future for the child."
Thus, today we are facing empty beds in maternity wards of local hospitals, which has become a symbol of the significant decline in the birth rate in Italy. Data from the "Totoiskola" foundation show that initial schooling in Italy has lost more than 456 thousand students (about 30% of schoolchildren) over the last decade.
The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, faced challenges in her campaign to increase the birth rate in the country. According to new statistical data, the birth rate has dropped to historically low levels. Births decreased by 2.1% in the first seven months of the current year, according to the national statistical office. All this happened after the "negative" 2023, when the number of newborns fell to a level equivalent to a third of the number of newborns in 2008.
The Prime Minister announced that families with children will receive financial assistance from the 2024 budget proposed at around 16 billion euros. These subsidies and benefits include annual aid of 3600 euros for families with two children to cover the costs of childcare, and up to 3000 euros in the form of allowances for working mothers.
Italy is facing a serious demographic problem, and addressing it will not be easy.
