France hits record low baby numbers in 100 years


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France experienced its lowest birth rate since World War I in 2024, with only 663,000 babies born, marking a 2.2 percent decrease from the previous year, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).

The country’s fertility rate dropped to 1.62 children per woman, down from 1.66 in 2023, falling significantly below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. This decline occurred despite President Macron’s efforts to boost births through his “demographic rearmament” initiative.

While the European Union’s overall fertility rate stood at 1.46 in 2022, the French National Union of Family Associations (UNAF) expressed concern about France’s more rapid decline compared to other EU nations. The organization emphasized that the lower birth rate wasn’t due to a lack of desire for children, noting that couples of childbearing age expressed wanting an average of 2.27 children, but faced various obstacles.

Parental app co-founder Cécilia Creuzet’s research revealed that work-life balance remained a primary concern for users, particularly women. The study found that 34 percent of users would consider having more children if daily logistics were simplified and better childcare options were available. Additionally, over half of the users cited environmental concerns as a factor reducing their desire for more children.

INSEE data showed France’s population reached 68.6 million at the start of the year, representing a modest increase of 169,000 people or 0.25 percent from 2024. Immigration accounted for the majority of this growth, with net migration estimated at 152,000.

Due to France’s “colour blind” policy, official statistics don’t differentiate between births to native French and foreign-born mothers. However, the country is introducing an optional question about parents’ birthplace in its census this month, a move that has drawn criticism from some groups.

“This question presents a lot of dangers,” the Human Rights League and the CTG union said in a joint petition against the question. “No public policy justifies our parents’ immigrant origin being collected… The recording of this information is a step towards possible unequal treatment by the state on this basis.”

For comparison, other Western European countries show significant differences in birth rates between native and migrant populations. In England and Wales, foreign women accounted for 31.8 percent of live births in 2023, despite immigrants comprising only about 16 percent of the total population.