Birth numbers in France have fallen to their lowest levels since World War II, a grim sign of demographic collapse in the West.
numbers A report released this week by the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) found that 678,000 babies were born in France last year, 48,000 fewer than in 2022 and the lowest since 1946.
Like other Western countries, France has been facing declining birthrates for years, with fertility rates falling almost every year since 2010, with 832,799 babies born in the country, an increase of about 20% from 2023. ing. The decline has further accelerated, with the birthrate expected to be 1.68 children per woman in 2023, compared to 1.79 in 2022 and 1.99 in 2013.
2.1 infants per woman is generally considered the basic requirement for modern nations to maintain population rates. France was well below this rate, but its population did not actually decline, considering that the number of deaths was 631,000, a decrease of 6.5 percent.
This is due to the fact that the average life expectancy has increased to 85.7 years for women and 80 years for men, which means that by 2022, the average life expectancy will increase by 0.6 years for women and 0.7% for men. While this is welcome news, an aging population may pose an additional burden in the future. The pension and health care system currently affects one in five people in France over the age of 65, and one in 10 over the age of 75.
The population grew by 0.3% to 68.4 million, but the increase was also driven by large-scale migration, with 183,000 foreigners becoming residents last year. Neoliberal governments, including France's, have often touted immigration as a solution to population decline and as a means of supporting a generous welfare state.
However, resistance to mass immigration is growing in France and across Europe, given the negative social and economic consequences of importing large numbers of foreigners, including lower labor costs, increased burdens on governments, and the risk of terrorism. There have been two Islamist terrorist attacks in France since October.
Demographic collapse: Britain's birth rate is at an all-time low, but the number of foreign mothers is at an all-time high https://t.co/3Y0zi07AIa
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) October 17, 2021
Amid growing public discontent, President Emmanuel Macron has conceded to Marine Le Pen's populist National Rally (RN) party and passed an immigration reform bill. This would strengthen the government's ability to deport illegal immigrants and other criminal immigrants, and reduce immigration by cutting access to social welfare benefits. foreigner.
At an unusual press conference at the Elysée Palace this week, President Macron addressed demographic issues. explained as the “taboo of the century”. President Macron said the government would aim to introduce six months of “maternity leave” for new parents and announced that “a major plan to combat this scourge” of falling birth rates would be announced soon. did.
Culturally conservative European countries such as Hungary and Poland have introduced pro-family policies to help parents financially, rather than trying to import foreigners to solve their population problems.
For example, Poland introduced a “maternity pension” under the previous conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government to show “gratitude and respect” to women who raised four or more children. Meanwhile, Hungary has succeeded in increasing marriage and birth rates by enacting economic incentives for mothers, such as lifetime tax exemptions for women with four or more children.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has claimed that Western governments are committing national “suicide” by adopting policies of “massive replacement”. This theory was coined by French writer Renaud Camus, who argued that globalist politicians view citizens as cogs rather than individuals. Therefore, it can simply be replaced by mass migration.
Half of French people believe in the theory of the “Great Demographic Replacement”https://t.co/pQQRRPkBIe
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) November 28, 2021
