In Europe, the family policy of the Hungarian government that encourages demographic growth is considered a model, according to Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League government party, who spoke at the population conference in Rome on Friday.

Matteo Salvini emphasized: the plummeting birth rate represents a common European problem, and the solution may be common.

"There is a model to be imitated, the family support policy developed in Hungary, which increases the proportion of children born by five percent (..), if it works in Budapest, why wouldn't it work in Italy too!" said the leader of the League.

Among the Hungarian measures, Salvini mentioned tax incentives to encourage family formation. He particularly highlighted measures to support mothers with multiple children and grandparents. The right-wing politician noted that it is not possible to stop the population decline with the once-a-year family allowance followed in Italy.

Matteo Salvini believed that not enough attention is paid to the issue in Italy, as it is a common belief that family politics "does not bring votes". In the long run, however, it strengthens national prosperity and wealth, said the party leader.

Europe has a plan for everything, the only exception being families. "Without children, the European economy will collapse," said Giorgia Meloni, president of the right-wing Italian Brothers (FdI), who also spoke at the conference.

He explained that the post-pandemic economic recovery program drawn up by Mario Draghi's government does not mention support for motherhood. In our societies built on consumption and production, children are considered a "burden" by some, but at the same time, the system cannot move forward without children and young people, especially if in ten years 35 percent of the population will be over sixty-five years old. "The only infrastructure worth investing in is the child," Meloni said.

According to the March data of the Italian statistical institute Istat, the pandemic caused by the new type of coronavirus has accelerated the decline in the number of Italian births, 414,892 children were born in 2020, and only 399,431 in 2021. This is the 13th year in a row that the number of births has decreased, last year was the lowest since the unification of Italy in 1861. The population decreased by 253 thousand, the country now has only 59 million souls.

Source: MTI

Featured image: Origo