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In Germany, fewer and fewer children are being born - the total birth rate in the country today is 1,35 children per woman, while in 2021 it was still 1,58. This is reported by Deutsche Welle with reference to the Munich Institute for Economic Research (Ifo).
That is, if we compare 2023 with 2021, then during it every eighth bed in the maternity ward will be empty. "In the last three years, childbearing behavior has changed. The coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the drop in real incomes of the population due to high inflation clearly forced many families to postpone their plans to have children," said Joachim Ragnitz, deputy director of the Ifo branch.
It is emphasized that such fluctuations in indicators lead to long-term changes. First of all, they relate to the number of places needed for child care, their education, and in the longer term, the labor force and financing of pension funds. There is a need for migrants.
The decision to have a child is everyone's personal matter, Ragnitz said. A child costs a family approximately €180, and couples or families have to make "very long-term" decisions.
Fertility support measures are a constant topic of discussion. There are two competing approaches: institutional support, for example through childcare services, and individual support, through increased child benefits.
