London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Pope Francis warns pets must not replace children in Italy

Pope Francis warns pets must not replace children in Italy

Starting a family in Italy is becoming a "titanic effort" that only the rich can afford, Pope Francis has warned.

Addressing a conference on Italy's demographic crisis, he said pets were replacing children in many households.

Also on stage were dozens of young people, wearing t-shirts saying "we can do this" - alluding to convincing people to have more children.

Italy has one of the lowest fertility rates in the EU and births dropped below 400,000 last year - a new low.

In his speech in Rome, the Pope said the declining birth rate signalled a lack of hope in the future, with younger generations weighed down by a sense of uncertainty, fragility and precariousness.

"Difficulty in finding a stable job, sky-high rents and insufficient wages are real problems," he said.

Warning that pets were replacing children in some households, the Pope recounted how a woman had opened her bag and asked him to "bless her baby".

Except it was not a baby, but a small dog.

"I lost my patience and told her off: there are many children who are hungry, and you bring me a dog?" he added, triggering a round of applause from the crowd.

Birth rates are slowing in many places - such as Japan, South Korea, Puerto Rico and Portugal.

But a shrinking population is a major worry for Italy - the third-largest country in the eurozone.

The country could lose almost a fifth of its residents by 2050. At the same time, the population is ageing quickly - the number of centenarians in Italy has tripled over the last 20 years.

Italy is often dubbed "The country of empty cribs". Even Elon Musk tweeted last month: "Italy is disappearing!"

Experts warn the population crisis will lead to the impoverishment of the nation. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said that by 2042, Italy's declining birthrate would end up reducing its gross domestic product (GDP) by 18%.

There are many reasons why women in Italy are having fewer babies.

Young people struggle to find stable jobs and the childcare support system is often inadequate, which makes it hard for mothers to juggle work and family life.

Six out of 10 mothers don't have access to nurseries, according to the charity Save the Children.

Many pregnant women are forced to resign, and some get sacked when they get pregnant.

The Pope appeared on stage with Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni


Italy's plummeting birth rate "is a national emergency" said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was speaking alongside Pope Francis.

The image of the two leaders - both dressed in white head to toe - speaking together was very symbolic in Italy, as to show that the issue is so urgent, that it goes beyond politics or religion.

"Fixing the problem is an absolute priority. We want Italy to go back to having a bright future," she said.

Mrs Meloni, who won the largest share of the women's vote in September elections but does not consider herself a feminist, has made mothers and families a central part of her discourse.

She has created an ad hoc ministry to address the issue of declining birth rates and her government has hinted at encouraging people to have children by exempting them from paying income tax.

Pope Francis called for politicians to find "forward-looking solutions to avoid Italy degenerating into sadness".

At the end of his speech, several pregnant women queued on stage to have him touch their belly and give them a blessing.

Shortly after, a flock of children encircled the Pontiff in a group hug - something likely to have been orchestrated by the organisers of the event.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×