THE data is very clear. Italy is living an unprecedented drop in the birth rate. A trend, however, which is not an isolated case: the trend is a common element for many European countries. This was the premise of the meeting “Demography and birth rate”, which was held today, Tuesday 22 August, at Rimini meeting. Also among the speakers Gian Carlo Blangiardoformer President of Istat, and the Minister for the Family, Birth Rate and Equal Opportunities, Eugenia Rockellawho spoke of the need to support families who intend to reverse this progressive and now structural demographic decline.
Eugenia Roccella: “Italy at year zero for the birth rate”
As Gian Carlo Blangiardo explained «in 2022 we went down below the threshold of 400,000 births: the lowest value ever». According to Eugenia Roccella, «in Italy we are substantially at year zero for policies for the birth rate, the family and equal opportunities». However, according to him, it is important «to place the Italian problem in an international context. The question of demographic decline affects not only Europe but the whole world».
The truth, according to the Minister, is that “for a long time there have been international policies and there is an anti-natalist cultural climate”. Today, therefore, “there is a cultural climate in which to be parents, to be open to life, to the future, to hope, to continuity between grandparents and grandchildren, to the idea that life is not just the consumption of and of here, it’s all messed up». However «Italy should be at the forefront for a U-turn, for a change. We can become a European leader in a change of course».
Eugenia Roccella, on 26 July 2023 in Rome. Credit: ANSA/FABIO FRUSTACI
The importance of having a female Premier
According to Eugenia Roccella, the fact that the Premier of our country is a woman represents an element that should not be underestimated. «It is important that our premier is a woman, a mother. Also because she knows the difficulties women experience, in the freedom to have children. There is an obvious difficulty in reconciling professional aspirations and life as mothers».
To emphasize this point, Roccella wanted to go back to a sentence that, some time ago, had caused discussion. “I was misunderstood for something I said. For me there must not be an alternative between spritz and children. We don’t want having children to be a sacrifice, a renunciation. It must be a possible freedom, an extra joy, an extra happiness».
Eugenia Roccella’s speech at the event linked to Communion and Liberation is an opportunity to review the measures planned to guarantee equal opportunities. «We did it in the tax delegation. We did it in the provision that replaced the citizen’s income: we felt the need to intervene on child poverty, which is the most terrible. Then we did increasing the single allowance, implementing it, especially for large families».
Immediately afterwards, the Minister for the Family, Birth Rate and Equal Opportunities anticipated: «Experts tell us that to increase the birth rate we must try to ensure that couples who want a second child can have it. I will propose a package of benefits for the second child in the next Budget».
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