this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2024
160 points (99.4% liked)

World News

39385 readers
2518 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Summary

The Dutch government is considering measures to cap the Netherlands’ population at 20 million by 2050, responding to a demographic commission’s recommendation.

Currently at 18 million, the population’s growth raises concerns about pressures on housing, healthcare, and education.

Immigration minister Marjolein Faber and social affairs minister Eddy van Hijum emphasized stricter asylum limits and more targeted migration policies, with further research underway.

Economists warn that an aging population might necessitate increased foreign labor or domestic reforms, as 3 million extra workers by 2040 is deemed unfeasible.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 59 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

That's just looking for an excuse to close borders to keep migrants out. It's a right winger saying this.

The fertility rate in the Netherlands is 1.49 now, way below replacement rate, so the usual "we have to stop people from having kids" is done. Mission successful. Congratulations.

What they usually don't say is who's going to keep production high and do the work that's needed if you don't have enough kids to replace workers retiring and keep all the migrants out. Stop people from retiring and stop trying to grow the economy I guess.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

The thought tends to go I) internal birth rates are failing because the cost of raising a family is too high ii) part of that cost is driven by high accommodation costs and downward pressure on wages iii) both of these are alleviated if immigration is restricted

I've no idea if that would actually work, but the logic makes some sense (obvious flaw being if you restrict immigration you lose workers now but internal births take a couple of decades to compensate)

[–] [email protected] 21 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Looking at Japan, China and Korea, countries with falling birth rate and strict immigration policies, it seems that the expected higher wages and increased births never materialize. The remaining workers are just squeezed harder so the economy can continue to function and grow, what results in people having less children because they have to work so much, and it ends up in a downward spiral.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

it is also a genius strategy for a country that relies heavily on trade, having two of the largest ports of Europe, to close itself off from the rest of Europe.