The pandemic has seen a dramatic drop in the number of babies born to Italian mothers, resulting in one of the lowest birth rates anywhere.
A low birthrate has led to warnings that this country could lose half its population within the next 50 year.
Ten months following the draconian Italian lockdown, January 2021 saw the lowest ever birth rate. This was a decline of 13.6 percent compared to the previous year, which translated into nearly 5,000 less births.
Also, the country saw significant declines in November 2020 and December 2020. This indicates that there is ‘little doubt’ about the impact of the pandemic and that this trend appears to be long-lasting, according to the Italian Statistics Agency ISTAT has released a new report.
A doctor dressed in a protective suit checks the temperature of passengers as they line up arriving with a Frecciarossa high-speed train in Naples’ Central Station, southern Italy in May 2020 as the Italian government gradually eased lockdown restrictions
Italy has seen a drop in births of nearly a third over the past decade. In 2020, there were 404,892 children born to 404,892 infants, down from 576,659 babies in 2008. The decline in births is almost entirely attributable to two-parent families.
Gian Carlo Bliangiardo was the President at Istat. The latest drop in birth rates could not solely be attributed to pandemic. But the most dramatic decline occurred about nine months following the 2020 lockdown.
According to Bliangiardo, “We are currently in an extended period of emergency which has been long-lasting and that has caused many couples to think: ‘Let’s wait’.” He added that many weddings had been delayed. This had adversely affected the birth rate, as almost three quarters of Italians have kids within their marriage.
Istat has also predicted that Italy may lose one-fifth of its population within the next fifty years. It is possible that the population, currently at 59.6m, will drop to 47.6m in 2070. This would represent a 21% decline.
According to statistics agencies, the data showed a “potential picture” of crisis as there were fewer people living in these areas and more seniors.
It is estimated that 23.2 per cent of Italy’s population are over 65. That figure will rise to 35 per cent by 2050.
According to the report, “The population’s age structure already shows a large imbalance towards the older generation and currently there is no evidence that could indicate a reverse of this trend.”
A police officer wearing a face mask walks across the deserted Trevi Fountain square on March 10, 2020 during Italy’s lockdown
Deaths are expected to surpass births in less than thirty years – 784,000 to 391,000.
Matteo Rizzolli wrote that economists will have to deal with the consequences of economic decline in Domani.
Rizzolli pointed out how this would impact the housing market, as a smaller number of people would require fewer houses. The country would see an increase both in taxes and labour shortages to pay back its debt.
It seems that the United States is incapable of comprehending what may be its greatest risk to its survival. He wrote that we are not at the brink of an abyss.
However, Bliangiardo stated to La Repubblica that he has a positive outlook on the future of Italy.
‘A country with fewer young people is not in itself a place where the quality of life worsens.
“We must restructure society’s organisation. Japan and we will be the first to confront this phenomenon.