Italy’s Birthrate Hits Record Low
More than 12 Italians died for every 7 Italians born last year, according to Italy’s national statistics bureau. Italy’s resident population fell by 179,000 to 58.85 million as birth numbers plummeted to their lowest level since Italy began tracking its population in 1861, after the country’s unification. Only 392,600 Italian babies were born in 2022, and even fewer may be born in 2023.
Many politicians consider falling birthrates a national emergency. Reversing Italy’s demographic decline was a prominent policy pledge made by Giorgia Meloni ahead of last year’s historic election, which saw her become Italy’s first female prime minister.
Aging Europe: Italy has one of the lowest birthrates in Europe, but population decline is set to become a continent-wide problem. The latest estimates from Eurostat signal the European Union may see its population shrink by 27.3 million people by 2100.
The only reason the EU’s population is currently growing is immigration. Yet demographers predict that the EU’s population will peak at 453 million in 2026 before decreasing to 420 million in 2100. Unless it is reversed, this precipitous population decline will shrink the unions’ workforce, drain its pension system, and create severe economic repercussions well beyond Europe’s borders.
Preemptive attack: The Apostle John prophesies in the book of Revelation that a German-led Catholic empire will launch a preemptive military strike against the kings of Asia (Revelation 9:1-12). Europe’s demographic crisis may help explain why Europe acts this way.
One Citigroup report forecast that Western Europe will account for only 7 percent of the global economy by 2050, while “developing Asia” will account for 49 percent. Europe’s aging population does not have much time to thwart Asia’s rise if it wants to become a superpower.
Kaiser Wilhelm ii launched a preemptive strike designed to halt Russia’s ascension to superpower status during World War i because he thought Germany would be unable to beat Russia if he waited. Europe may deploy a similar strategy when it realizes it only has one generation left to achieve global hegemony.
Learn more: Read Russia and China in Prophecy.
