Italy’s birth rate, already one of the lowest in the world, has been falling steadily for about 15 years and reached a record low last year.

Pope Francis is stepping up his campaign to urge Italians to have children, calling for long-term policies to help families and warning that the country’s demographic crisis was threatening the future.

“The number of births is the first indicator of the hope of a people,” Francis told an annual gathering of pro-family groups on Friday.

“Without children and young people, a country loses its desire for the future.”

  • lazylion_ca
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    1 month ago

    “Without children and young people, a country loses its desire for the future.”

    Bout 30 years too late for that, old man. I grew up with that hopelessness. Between the climate and the economy, the damage is done. Gonna need more than a tax break to change course.

    But hey, it’s nice to see that he’s not completely oblivious.