Italy's Birth Rate Plunges, Poverty Rates Soar

Births in Italy are projected to reach a new record low in 2023, according to preliminary data from the national statistics bureau. The country has been facing a long-standing demographic crisis, with a 1.7% decline in births in 2022, marking the 14th consecutive drop and the lowest number since Italy's unification in 1861. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has allocated around 1 billion euros to address the crisis, which is driven by challenges faced by Italian women in balancing work and motherhood. The shrinking and aging population leads to lower productivity and higher welfare costs, exacerbating Italy's already high state pension bill. The fertility rate is expected to decrease to 1.22 children per woman in 2023, with immigrants contributing to the rate, while among Italian women, the rate was just 1.18 in 2022.