The birth rate in Switzerland last year fell to 1.39 children per woman, below the European average, Swiss public radio, RTS, reported.
According to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the Swiss birth rate has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years, with 1.39 children per woman. This drop could be due to financial or family policy reasons, says Valérie-Anne Ryser, a social scientist at the University of Lausanne.
In 2022 the number of births in Switzerland decreased by 8.5% compared with 2021. Since 2010, the birth rate has fluctuated steadily around 1.5 children per woman, but in 2022 it fell to 1.39.
According Ryser, there could be several reasons for this drop in fertility rate. It could be cyclical and related to the Covid-19 crisis. "The various semi-lockdowns we have experienced might have created a sense of insecurity among people, who decided to have fewer children," she told RTS.
I would have preferred to see the results of a large survey. Ask people why they aren’t having more children. It doesn’t have to be a mystery.