Italy Birth Rate Plummets to Historic Low, Deepening Demographic Crisis
Italy's birth rate plunges to new lows in 2026, worsening a severe demographic crisis as Istat reports fewer births and declining fertility rates.
POLICY WIRE — Rome, Italy — Italy is facing a deepening demographic emergency as national statistics bureau Istat reports that the nation’s birth numbers are on track to hit another historic low.
During 2025, total births dropped to a record low of 355,772, representing a decrease of roughly 14,000 newborns compared to the previous year and marking a 3.8% decline.
The average number of children born per woman dropped to 1.14 in 2025, falling below the 1.18 rate recorded in 2024 and dipping well beneath the historical low of 1.19 established in 1995.
This figure sits far below the 2.1 replacement rate needed to maintain a stable population, straining future educational, healthcare, and pension systems across the country.
Provisional data indicates that the downward trajectory has continued straight into 2026, with Istat recording 196,864 births between January and July.
Istat’s provisional monthly demographic balance calculated Italy’s resident population at 58,943,673 as of June 30, 2026, reflecting a minor drop of 845 residents since the start of the year.
During the first six months of 2026, the country registered approximately 166,000 births, which is a 0.8% decrease compared to the same timeframe in 2025, while total deaths reached about 330,000.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
