In France, nearly 677,800 births were recorded in 2023, the lowest number since the end of the Second World War.
What are the reasons for this constant decline in the birth rate?
The TF1 news takes stock.
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Kylian and Camille, a couple that our journalists met in Metz (Moselle), have just had their first child and want to have a second, but no more. “Our parents and grandparents tended to have the partner stay home more often. There, we both have a professional activity so it’s a little more complicated. And in the evening, we feel tired. , and three children it might be too complicated”details the father in the TF1 news report visible at the top of this article.
An increasingly marked and accepted change in mentality: “When I was younger, I wanted three. Now I don’t want any more. There were studies, my job… We’ll see later”confides a young woman. Another, older, adds “understand the new generation”adding that he must have somehow “sacrifice for education” of his children, what “young people don’t want it anymore” From now on.
An economic problem in perspective
In 2023, 677,800 babies will be born in France, almost 48,000 fewer than in 2022. An unprecedented decrease since the end of the baby boom (new window)in the 1960s. The number of births has continued to decline since 2010 and the trend will continue in 2024. How can we explain it? Social pressure is today less strong on women who do not want children, analyzes demographer Stéphanie Toutain.
The latter puts forward another explanation: the economic situation. “Couples have fewer resources. In terms of access to housing, it will be reduced and they will be able to offer less to their children. So for the same amount of money, we prefer to dedicate it to the education of just one child”continues the specialist.
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Should we be worried about this drop in births? In the long term, this will have economic consequences, because fewer babies means fewer future workers, and a big problem for the financing of the French pension system. To boost the birth rate, Emmanuel Macron announced in January the creation of birth leave for 2025.
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