Decline in birth rates in Switzerland: causes and possible solutions

In 2024, Switzerland recorded its lowest birth rate since records began. According to Professor Emiliano Albanese, professor of public health at USI Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, this trend reflects both cultural changes and material and organisational constraints that discourage couples from having a third child. The professor discussed this issue in the media, including an article in Corriere del Ticino and a segment on RSI's "Telegiornale," in which he provided a detailed analysis of the phenomenon and suggested potential intervention strategies.

In 2024, Switzerland experienced a significant drop in birth rates, recording just 1.29 children per woman. This figure contributes to the ongoing issue known as the "demographic winter." Professor Albanese highlighted that "the data clearly show that the decline in fertility in Switzerland is largely due to the decrease in third births." This aspect is crucial for understanding the situation and finding effective solutions. In his interview with the daily newspaper Corriere del Ticino, Albanese emphasised that the reduction in families with three or more children constitutes "a new decline: distinct because, until recently, this trend had remained relatively stable." However, the current decrease fundamentally alters the demographic landscape.

During his television appearance on RSI, the professor highlighted how cultural factors and concrete constraints coexist at the root of the phenomenon: "There is a coexistence of two mechanisms: first, a change in societal values and culture, and second, a transformation in material, organisational, and support constraints." that make "the progression of equality" difficult. Albanese specifically noted that the rising age at which women have their first child further limits their ability to expand their families. This situation is becoming more pressing due to a decrease in fertile years and increasing uncertainties in both professional and housing situations.

Targeted interventions: supporting the first child is not enough

The professor highlighted how generalist policies are no longer sufficient. "Generic family policies are no longer enough," said Albanese in his speeches. "Today, a woman who interrupts or slows down her career to become a mother often faces long-lasting impacts on her professional growth and income, making recovery challenging." For this reason, Albanese calls for measures targeting third children: "Providing targeted support of CHF 1,000 per month for every woman who has a third child, along with the requirement to remain professionally active, could be a potential solution."

Services, stability, and migration: the three necessary pillars

Among the mentioned structural measures, we should emphasise the importance of strengthening childcare services, providing fair and well-paid leave, reducing penalties associated with part-time work, and implementing housing and employment policies that benefit young people. Albanese also emphasised the importance of migration policies, which are often overlooked in the debate on birth rates: "These factors can be exploited very effectively by carefully considering and planning net migration and effective integration," noting that the fertility rate is based on "denominators, i.e., how many women are of childbearing age."

In conclusion, the professor noted that demographic data are descriptive, while interpretations of temporal trends are necessarily speculative; therefore, caution is needed when drawing causal conclusions, even if the proposed analyses are both relevant and reasonable.

The article on declining birth rates published by Corriere del Ticino is available here. You can find the RSI television coverage below. (both Italian only).