French President Emmanuel Macron is concerned about the birth rate in his country. He already announced this during a press conference earlier this year. Then he even talked about a “plague of barrenness.”
“Every woman should be able to decide completely for herself about her body,” Macron said in a new interview with Elle magazine. “But one figure stands out particularly hard for me: the fertility rate is 1.8, but the desire to have children is 2.3.” According to the president, the state currently offers too little support to women who want more children. “We cannot allow the poor organization of our society to prevent women and families from having children if they want to.”
That is why Macron has now developed an extensive plan that focuses on research and the path of new and future families. For example, a new form of parental leave will be introduced at the end of 2025, namely maternity leave. The mother and father each get three months off, which they can use during the first year of the child’s life.
In addition, Macron wants to make access to assisted reproduction easier. This includes IVF treatments (in vitro fertilization). In France it can take 16 to 24 months before a couple can start such a process. To reduce waiting times, Macron wants not only hospitals, but also private centers to be able to freeze eggs.
Tags: Fertility checks age President Emmanuel Macron striking proposal Birth Plan France
