Reference News Network July 30 report, according to the Spanish website "El País" on July 28, during holidays in French parks, more adults are walking pets than taking children to play. For a long time, France's relatively high birth rate was an exception in Europe, but this trend is rapidly reversing.
The latest data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) published last week, covering May 2024 to May 2025, reveals a worrying reality: for the first time since World War II, the number of deaths (651,000) in France exceeded the number of births (650,000) in that year. Even though the difference is only 1,000 people, the key point is that France has reached a worrying population "natural negative growth," and it's not just that: including May of this year, the number of births has been declining for 35 consecutive months.
Although there may occasionally be a month with an increase in the number of births, experts believe that unless a major change unlikely to occur—whether cultural, value-based, or behavioral—happens, the future trend seems very clear. Chloe Tavan, head of INSEE's demographic research, admitted to "El País": "We know that, in the medium term, the trend will be negative, and almost permanent."
This change is clearly influenced by the continued rise in death rates. The aging of the baby boomer generation is becoming increasingly evident, with the oldest members of this generation approaching 80 years old. However, Tavan emphasized: "What is surprising is the decline in birth rates, which has fallen more than expected." INSEE's 2021 prediction suggested that natural population negative growth might occur in 2035. Therefore, this situation has come ten years earlier. Everything is accelerating.
One of the most prominent issues is that the fertility crisis affects all of France, both on the mainland and overseas territories. Excluding overseas departments, France had already experienced population negative growth in 2024. Nevertheless, France's situation is still better than its neighboring countries. According to the latest available data across Europe, France's total fertility rate (an average of 1.6 children per woman) is only lower than Bulgaria.
After reaching a peak in 2010, France's fertility rate declined sharply, which can be attributed to various factors, including socioeconomic, cultural, and psychological factors. At one time, some even gave a more exaggerated explanation for the decline in fertility rates: since 2008, schools have canceled Saturday morning classes, which led couples with children to lose some precious moments of intimacy. However, no scientific research has confirmed this hypothesis. (Translated by Su Jiawei)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7532681283291234842/
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