"Many Dogs and Cats"... Pope Laments Europe's Low Birthrate in the 'Aging and Weary Continent'

Pope Francis urged governments to find solutions to Europe's low birthrate situation.

[Image source=Getty Images]

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According to ANSA and others on the 10th (local time), Pope Francis attended a conference held in Rome, Italy, to address the low birthrate issue, pointing out that "Europe is becoming an increasingly old, tired, and resigned continent."

He lamented, "There is no shortage of dogs and cats, only a shortage of children," adding, "Houses that should be filled with children are becoming very sad places filled with things."

Pope Francis emphasized that governments need effective policies and bold, concrete long-term plans to solve this problem. He said, "Young couples must be provided with stable jobs and opportunities to purchase homes," and "Mothers should not have to choose between work and childcare."

Pope Francis is meeting with children at a conference addressing low birthrate issues held in Rome, Italy, on the 10th (local time). [Image source=Yonhap News]

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He also advised young people, saying, "I know that the future is uncertain and it is not easy to keep hope amid low birthrates, wars, epidemics, and climate change," but urged, "Do not give up and have faith."

Over the past decade, Europe's total fertility rate (the number of children a woman has in her lifetime) has remained around 1.5. Although this is higher than some East Asian countries, including South Korea, which recorded a total fertility rate of 0.77 in 2022, it is far below the 2.1 needed to maintain the population level.

In particular, Italy ranks second lowest in fertility rate among the 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), following South Korea. Last year, the number of births dropped sharply to 379,000, the lowest since the unification of Italy in 1861. Giorgia Meloni, Italy's Prime Minister, has defined the low birthrate issue as a national emergency threatening the country's survival and has taken measures, but has yet to achieve significant results.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis said on the day, "A demographer once told me that the most profitable investments currently are weapons factories and the contraceptive industry," criticizing, "One destroys life, and the other prevents life."

In response, the Italian Catholic conservative group ‘Pro Life and Family’ welcomed the Pope's remarks, condemning the enormous economic and commercial interests surrounding contraceptive use.

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