Asbirth ratescrash to their lowest level inFrancesince World War One, a plan to combat the lack ofbabies, first promised byEmmanuel Macronover two years ago but has seen little progress since, has finally been launched. Presented by the government on Thursday (February 5), it aims to raise awareness of the severe demographic issue affecting more than three million people.
"The challenges ofinfertilityhas been analysed in all their aspects" to allow the "immediate launch of concrete and long-awaited measures," health minister Stéphanie Rist said on Thursday during the presentation of the plan. A key measure will be to send a message to all citizens on their 29th birthday, offering them advice, starting at the end of the summer. However, the plan, whose total budget has not yet been revealed, also aims to increase the availability of egg freezing, permitted by the 2021 bioethics law but, in practice, is plagued by long waiting times.
READ MORE:Panic in China as huge tax slapped on condoms to tackle low birth rate
READ MORE:Panic in Majorca as locals stop having babies - tourist haters won’t be happy
The official letter to be sent to all 29-year-olds will include information on fertility, reproduction, the biological clock and preservation options. According toEurope Reloaded, it would begin with the words: "It’s time to think about whether or not to have a child".
While the age of 29 may seem an odd choice, this is the age at which preservation of gametes is authorised in France without medical conditions.
This comes as France’s fertility rate has dropped to around 1.56 children per woman - far below the2.1 replacement leveland the lowest in decades. Births have fallen consistently since 2010, when the rate was 2.03, to only 663,000 in 2024, while deaths surpassed births for the first time sinceWorld War Two.
Key causes include high living costs, economic uncertainty, and delayed childbearing. Indeed, 28% of people cite the high cost of raising children as a major obstacle. Concerns about the future, including climate change and economic instability, are decreasing the desire for children,The Guardianreportedlast month. The end of universal child benefits, which had previously been granted regardless of income, was decided in 2014 under the socialist presidency of François Hollande, and has also, according to demographic observers, had a profound effect on the nation's birthrate.
However, when announcing the official letter plan, Ms Rist promised that this would be done without any pressure: "The role of politicians is not to dictate whether or not to have children; what we must avoid is continuing to hear 'if only I had known'."
Set Daily Express as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
