Researchers said they have noticed a particularly sharp downward trend in eastern Germany. A new report estimates almost 80,000 fewer children were born in 2022 and 2023 than would have been expected.
The Ifo Institute for Economic Research said in a new report released Wednesday that Germany is seeing a sharp decline in birth rates, with federal states in the east of the country the most affected.
Researchers at the leading economic think tank cited a number of reasons behind the declining birth rate, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Additionally, high inflation has prompted “young families to put off having children for the time being,” said Ifo researcher Joachim Ragnitz.
The quality already drops, because you can’t find people to do stuff.
You literally can’t get someone to replace your furnace/heatpump within the next month. There are not enough people to care for seniors, not enough people to stock shelves. Doesn’t sound super nice.