Disillusioned Italians in Europe, stop believing in the future and parenthood

They invented the word: denatality comes from the French dénatalité. Yet France, unlike Italy, continues to maintain its confidence in the future, which it manifests through its most emblematic choice, that of parenthood. Bringing together the orientation of Europeans - or rather of Italians, French, Germans, English and Spaniards - with respect to the need/desire to have children is a survey that the demoscopic institute Noto Sondaggi carried out for Il Sole 24 Ore on Monday, among young people aged b>between 18 and 35. The comparison shows different orientations, however one fact is clear: it is mainly we Italians who are short of confidence and no longer see a prospect of growth.

The issue is not new at all, just remember what Massimo Livi Bacci wrote in an essay ('Il futuro degli italiani. Declino o transizione demografica?') in 2021: 'Denatality is a phenomenon that has been affecting Italy for decades and represents one of the main challenges for the country's future. The lack of children is not only an economic problem, but also a problem of identity and future'. What makes the Italian situation more worrying today, however, is that in the face ofa common anxiety, mostly the economic one, young Italians, unlike other Europeans, see no solution, and this is enough to make them back off from the possibility of having children. This is in contrast to the British, Spanish and, in particular, the French, who are concerned, but not to the point of not seeing a solution. On the other hand, the birth rate in 2024 is inclement: 1.18 children per woman in Italy (with 229,731 born from January to August 2025, -5.4% compared to the first eight months of 2024), 1.62 for France, 1.1 for Spain, 1.35 for Germany, and 1.41 for Great Britain.

Thus, when asked whether or not they intend to have children, 20% of Italian respondents answer that they will never have any, while this net refusal drops to 8% in the case of the English, 4% for the Spanish, and 10% for the French and Germans. And if 42% of young Italians are uncertain about this prospect, the uncertain fall to 18% of the English, 28% of the Spanish, 26% of the Germans, 21% of the French. Among those who renounce parenthood, it is above all economic insecurity that weighs heavily in the choice not to have children (41% of Italians, French and Germans, 57% of Spaniards and 45% of the British).

If one digs into the reasons that are considered obstacles to parenthood, a split between young Italians and everyone else immediately emerges.

78% of Italians believe that among the factors influencing the decision not to have children (or not to have more) is the overall cost of raising them. French, German and Spanish respondents answer the same way in 58% of cases, a few more (62%) the English.