The divorce rate was at its lowest level in four decades last year. About 25,600 couples divorced last year, a number that hasn’t been this low since 1979. This is reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The continuing decline in the number of divorces can be explained by a decrease in the number of marriages in the Netherlands. Couples more often opt for a registered partnership or live together without being married. The aging population also plays a role. The longer marriages last, the more likely that couples will divorce.
The number of marriages ending in divorce within ten years has also decreased. This can be explained by the fact that people are more likely to get married at a later age. A married couple is more likely to fail when it comes to couples under the age of 25.
Nearly eight out of a thousand couples ended their marriage last year. This is a decrease of more than 9 percent compared to the previous year. Since 2014, the number of stranded marriages has been falling again. Back then, more than ten in a thousand couples were still divorced.