France Faces Record Low Birth Rate in 2025: A Demographic Turning Point

France’s Birth Rate Hits Historic Low in 2025

France has entered a new demographic chapter — and not a reassuring one. According to data released by INSEE (the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies), the number of births in France reached a historic low in 2025, continuing a steady decline that began over a decade ago.

In November 2025, only around 51,300 babies were born across the country, marking a 3.9% drop compared with the same month in 2024. Over the first eleven months of the year, France recorded 590,281 births, about 2.4% fewer than during the same period the year before.

This confirms what experts have described as a “new demographic reality” — one where fewer children are being born year after year, despite relatively stable population numbers overall.

A Decline Years in the Making

The fall in France’s birth rate is not new. Since 2011, the country has seen a persistent downward trend in fertility, broken only briefly in 2021, following the COVID-19 lockdown period.

In 2024, 663,000 babies were born — down 2.2% compared to 2023.
The fertility rate fell further to 1.62 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1 required to maintain a stable population without immigration.
This marks the fourth consecutive year of record-low births — an unprecedented situation in post-war France.

UNAF Urges Stronger Family Policies

The Union nationale des associations familiales (Unaf) has called on the government to address what it calls a “crisis of confidence” among would-be parents.

“We have not seen any decline in the desire to have children over the last 15 years,” explained Bernard Tranchand, president of the Unaf. “This means the problem lies in the obstacles families face — not in their desire to have children.”

Among the barriers commonly cited are:

Rising housing costs and shrinking living space.
Job insecurity and delayed entry into stable employment.
Limited childcare availability, particularly in urban areas.
Growing economic pressures on young couples.

Experts argue that France needs a comprehensive family policy, not only through financial incentives but also wider support — such as accessible childcare and flexible work-life balance options.

The Demographic Balance Is Shifting

Alongside declining births, deaths are increasing as France’s post-war baby boomers enter older age. This has pushed the natural population balance — the difference between births and deaths — to a troubling low.

In 2024, the natural increase was just +17,000, the lowest figure since the end of World War II.
Despite this, the overall population of France increased slightly to 68.6 million on 1 January 2025, thanks mainly to net migration, estimated at +152,000 people.

This indicates that immigration now plays a crucial role in maintaining population growth — a dynamic likely to shape France’s future social and economic landscape.

Why This Matters for the Future

Demographic experts warn that a long-term drop in fertility could have deep consequences for:

The labour market, as fewer young workers enter the workforce.
The pension system, which relies on active workers to fund retirees.
The education system, with potential school closures in rural areas.
The real estate market, if household sizes and family demand shrink.

Without policy changes, France risks entering what some economists call a “demographic winter”, where ageing accelerates while births remain low.

A Call to Action for the Next Government

France’s situation mirrors a wider trend seen across Europe — from Italy and Spain to Germany and the UK, where birth rates have fallen to record lows. Yet experts stress that proactive government action can reverse declines, pointing to examples like Sweden and Denmark, which saw fertility recover thanks to supportive childcare and parental-leave systems.

The Unaf’s appeal is clear: France must make it easier to have children — through help with housing, childcare, and balancing work and family life — if it hopes to safeguard its demographic future.