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Archive » June 2020 » Few children and population imbalance. The demographic trap after Covid-19 in Italy

Few children and population imbalance. The demographic trap after Covid-19 in Italy

Letizia Mencarini
June 2020 - n. 6
Keywords: Andamento demografico, economia, Covid-19
Jel codes: J10, J11, I10

Over recent years, Italian demography is characterized by a steady decrease of births, a high number of deaths and a small positive migration balance, which have led to a contraction of the total population. Low fertility has been persistent for three decades, and is a direct cause of population ageing. The intergenerational imbalance is a serious challenge for Italy’s future and its labour market. A «demographic trap» is in motion: few children of the past are making fewer parents of today, producing ever fewer children for the future. The fear for the post Covid-19 era in Italy is a further decrease of fertility, induced by social and economic uncertainty, which will push potential parents to postpone their reproductive behavior or forego it all together.

 

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