Germany’s birth rate has significantly declined over the past three years, according to a recent study by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) in Wiesbaden.
The study, based on a nationwide survey of 9,157 women and 6,602 men aged 18 to 49 from May 2023 to February 2024, found that the average number of children per woman fell from 1.58 in 2021 to 1.35 in 2024, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported.
Separate data from the Federal Statistical Office showed that in 2024, the birth rate for German women was just 1.23, compared with 1.89 for non-German nationals.
With the plummeting birth rate, the statistical office noted that only a total of 677,117 children were born in Germany last year, which was a decline of 15,872 from the previous year, Deutsche Welle reported.
Many Germans delay children due to various factors
The study attributed the continuous decline of the country’s birth rate to the decision to delay having children or starting a family, a phenomenon called “postponement of birth.”
Authors of the study said that a large number of Germans are deciding to delay having children due to the growing insecurity of young adults thanks to ongoing international crises such as the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Other factors that influenced their decision also included the worsening climate crisis, as well as growing economic and financial challenges, and personal conditions.
Despite delaying having their own family, the study noted that the desire to have their own children in the future remains stable.
Men and women want an average of 1.76 and 1.74 children, respectively, similar to three years ago, suggesting openness to starting families in the future.
“Having children remains a central life goal for most young people,” said population researcher Carmen Friedrich from BiB.
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Fertility gap continues to widen
As the birth rate continues to nosedive and the desire to have children remains stable, the country’s fertility gap has significantly widened from 2021 to 2024.
BiB noted that the proportion of 30-to-39-year-olds who plan to have a first or further child within the next three years declined from 28% to 24% for women and from 28% to 25% for men.
Fertility gap is the term used for the discrepancy between the desired number of children and birth rate, which could manifest as a difference in the timing of having children or the number of children.
Government urged to boost family-related policies
To bridge the widening gap and increase the country’s birth rate, the researchers urged the federal government and other relevant authorities to introduce policies that will help desires to have children be “realised more frequently.”
Co-author Martin Bujard called for guaranteed childcare, affordable housing, better work-life balance and stronger political commitment.
Bujard warned that this situation will continue to persist in the long-term if the government fails to immediately address the issue, which could hamper the country’s economic growth.
However, Bujard stressed that having children is a personal choice and it should not be stigmatised.
“If someone doesn’t want to have any children, it’s their decision.”
“This shouldn’t be stigmatised, and indeed, it is becoming increasingly acceptable to lead a childless life,” he said.
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