COLUMN. The decline in the number of births should be seen in connection with the 'gender divergence' between increasingly progressive young women and increasingly conservative young men, observes economist Pauline Grosjean in her column.

The decline in the number of births should be seen in connection with the ‘gender divergence’ between increasingly progressive young women and increasingly conservative young men, observes economist Pauline Grosjean in her column.

The number of births has continued to decline in France in 2025. The fertility rate, at 1.56 children per woman, reached its lowest level since 1918. It is true that most of France’s neighbors are faring even worse, and France still holds its – rather relative – status as a champion of birth rates. This decline is a universal and long-term phenomenon, with explanations that have shifted over time.

The initial phase, which has been the most studied, is that of the demographic transition, marked by the shift from a regime of high mortality and fertility to one of low mortality and fertility. France was already an exception, having started its demographic transition in the 18th century, before other countries. Without this early transition, some economists estimate, France’s population would today stand at 250 million.

  • WanderingThoughts@europe.pubEnglish
    211·
    8 hours ago

    And in the end, it all boils down to:

    “Show me the incentive and I’ll show you the outcome.”

    If the system makes raising children expensive, pushes for individualism, career, productivity and consumption while making high paying jobs located in child unfriendly cities, you get this as an outcome. And of course systemic changes are immediately wiped off the table because a small number at the top profit from the system as it is.