Hungary's Successful Approach to Italy's Birth Rate Crisis

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is looking to Hungary as a "perfect example" of how to address Italy's low birth rate crisis through investment. At the Budapest Democratic Summit, Meloni met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who praised Italy's pro-family government. Hungary's demographic policy model, which includes financial incentives for families and support for early childhood education, has been credited with reversing the country's declining birth rate. However, critics argue that the model discriminates against single parents and same-sex couples. Italy's low birth rate is seen as an urgent problem by 74% of Italians, with respondents citing low wages, job instability, and lack of public support for child-rearing costs as main causes.