Fewer Babies Concerns Central European Leaders
2020-03-02
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1Central European and Balkan leaders are worried about falling demographics.
2So, they are calling on families to have more children to stop the decrease.
3Some of the appeals for more babies are like those made many years ago in Fascist or Communist countries.
4They include appeals to nationalism and family values as well as big tax cuts and awards to larger families.
5Liberal critics accuse populist governments of using the depopulation threat to support nationalist programs and limit women's rights.
6But government officials note that unless they can stop falling birth rates, governments will not be able to finance the pensions and health-care costs of aging generations.
7The struggle to increase native-born populations and produce more young workers to pay for future costs is tied to immigration.
8Young people are leaving Central Europe in ever larger numbers for better pay in Western European countries.
9In Hungary, the fertility rate has dropped to 1.49 live births per female,
10while the rate needed to support current population levels is 2.1.
11Prime Minister Viktor Orban has offered housing assistance as well as reducing home loan payments in an effort to increase births.
12His government has offered to cancel income taxes on women who raise four or more children.
13Women marrying under the age of 40 can receive a $36,000 government loan that they do not have to repay after their third child is born.
14Last month, Orban announced the state takeover of six fertility centers, which now offer free in-vitro fertilization treatments.
15The free treatments started on February 1, when Orban declared fertility an issue of strategic importance to Hungary.
16"If we want Hungarian children instead of immigrants...then the only solution is to spend as much of the funds as possible on supporting families and raising children," he said last month.
17In Poland, the government provides a monthly allowance of about $125 per child to families after their first child.
18The program has become a model for depopulating neighboring countries also struggling with falling birth rates.
19But Central Europe's interest in demographics is worrying women and liberals.
20They fear that governments led by populist parties are paying for larger families not only for demographic reasons, but as a way to buy votes.
21They accuse populists of wanting to return to patriarchal times when women were limited only to having children, not careers outside the house.
22They see free IVF as something out of Margaret Atwood's best-selling book, The Handmaid's Tale.
23"Can we just simply declare that Hungary is Gilead from now on," asked Hungarian reporter Anita Komuves on Twitter.
24Gilead is the name of Atwood's made-up country.
25Demographic experts wonder whether the Central European cash-for-babies campaigns will do much to affect population growth.
26They point to Russia as an example. Russia's long-running program of paying for large families has done little to increase birth rates.
27The country's population is expected to drop from 142 million to 110 million by the year 2050.
28Central European governments are not alone in worrying about shrinking populations and the aging of Europe.
29Croatia is the world's fifth-fastest shrinking nation.
30It has made demographics an important issue during its six months heading the European Union presidency.
31Even Italy is worried about its falling birth rate.
32New births are at the lowest number since records began in 1861.
33The government is paying for free child care and extending time off for new fathers.
34Greece has one of the lowest birthrates in Europe.
35It is now offering mothers nearly $2,200 for every newborn child, as well as tax breaks.
36I'm Susan Shand.
1Central European and Balkan leaders are worried about falling demographics. So, they are calling on families to have more children to stop the decrease. 2Some of the appeals for more babies are like those made many years ago in Fascist or Communist countries. They include appeals to nationalism and family values as well as big tax cuts and awards to larger families. 3Liberal critics accuse populist governments of using the depopulation threat to support nationalist programs and limit women's rights. But government officials note that unless they can stop falling birth rates, governments will not be able to finance the pensions and health-care costs of aging generations. 4The struggle to increase native-born populations and produce more young workers to pay for future costs is tied to immigration. Young people are leaving Central Europe in ever larger numbers for better pay in Western European countries. 5In Hungary, the fertility rate has dropped to 1.49 live births per female, while the rate needed to support current population levels is 2.1. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has offered housing assistance as well as reducing home loan payments in an effort to increase births. 6His government has offered to cancel income taxes on women who raise four or more children. Women marrying under the age of 40 can receive a $36,000 government loan that they do not have to repay after their third child is born. 7Last month, Orban announced the state takeover of six fertility centers, which now offer free in-vitro fertilization treatments. The free treatments started on February 1, when Orban declared fertility an issue of strategic importance to Hungary. 8"If we want Hungarian children instead of immigrants...then the only solution is to spend as much of the funds as possible on supporting families and raising children," he said last month. 9In Poland, the government provides a monthly allowance of about $125 per child to families after their first child. The program has become a model for depopulating neighboring countries also struggling with falling birth rates. 10But Central Europe's interest in demographics is worrying women and liberals. They fear that governments led by populist parties are paying for larger families not only for demographic reasons, but as a way to buy votes. 11They accuse populists of wanting to return to patriarchal times when women were limited only to having children, not careers outside the house. They see free IVF as something out of Margaret Atwood's best-selling book, The Handmaid's Tale. 12"Can we just simply declare that Hungary is Gilead from now on," asked Hungarian reporter Anita Komuves on Twitter. Gilead is the name of Atwood's made-up country. 13Demographic experts wonder whether the Central European cash-for-babies campaigns will do much to affect population growth. They point to Russia as an example. Russia's long-running program of paying for large families has done little to increase birth rates. The country's population is expected to drop from 142 million to 110 million by the year 2050. 14Central European governments are not alone in worrying about shrinking populations and the aging of Europe. Croatia is the world's fifth-fastest shrinking nation. It has made demographics an important issue during its six months heading the European Union presidency. 15Even Italy is worried about its falling birth rate. New births are at the lowest number since records began in 1861. The government is paying for free child care and extending time off for new fathers. 16Greece has one of the lowest birthrates in Europe. It is now offering mothers nearly $2,200 for every newborn child, as well as tax breaks. 17I'm Susan Shand. 18VOA's Jaime Dettmer reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 19Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. 20________________________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22demographic - n. a group of people that has a particular set of qualities 23Fascist - adj. a way of organizing a society in which a government ruled by a dictator controls the lives of the people and in which people are not allowed to disagree with the government 24pension - n. an amount of money that a company or the government pays to a person who is old or sick and no longer works 25income - n. money that is earned from work, investments, business 26in-vitro - adj. a baby conceived outside the body 27strategic - adj. useful or important in achieving a plan or strategy 28allowance - n. an amount of money that is given to someone regularly or for a specific purpose 29patriarchal - adj. a man who controls a family, group, or government