"Pope Francis urges Italians to prioritize having children over pets amid demographic concerns"
Pope Francis has urged Italian politicians to take action to tackle financial uncertainty that has made having children a "titanic effort" feasible only for the rich. Italy has the lowest birth rate in Europe, and experts say at least 500,000 births are needed annually to prevent the country's social security system from collapsing. The Italian economy minister warned this week that the country's GDP could drop by 18% over the next 20 years if the trend is not reversed. The leader of the Catholic Church has taken part in the annual birth rate event for three consecutive years, calling on leaders to address low birth rates in Western countries immediately.