ROME, Italy – Pope Francis on Saturday reiterated his concern about Europe's demographic winter and called on Italians to have more children.
Pope: “I'm worried about the declining birthrate'' Said Italian association About local politicians. “There is a culture of population decline that stems from fewer children.''
“It's true, anyone can have a dog, it's true. But we need children,” he continued. “In Italy and Spain…we need children.”
“Consider that the average age in these Mediterranean countries is 46 years. I don't know what it is like in Italy, but it's close to that level,” the Pope said.
According to Italy's National Institute of Statistics, the country's birth rate has fallen to 1.25 children per woman, well below the replacement rate.average Year As the Pope said, the population is 46.6 years old.
In his speech, President Francis emphasized the importance of having more children, linking it to the survival of the country.
“People don't have children. It's easier to get a dog,” he reiterated. “We have to take the issue of fertility seriously, because the future of our country depends on it.”
“The future is at stake. Having children is an obligation to survive, to move forward. Think about this. This is not an advertisement for a birth agency. But what I want to emphasize is that the birth rate It’s a drama,” he concluded.
