Impact of an Aging Population

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The aging population has also led to lower fertility rates in France. In an attempt to increase the fertility rates and thus create a more youthful population, France provided some initiatives for parents to have babies, that are listed in “La Code de la Famille”. Some of these incentives include mothers being able to receive 750 euros (= $895) a month for over one year, plus 20 (first child) to 40 weeks (third child or above) of paid maternity leave. The french government is also offering free daycare and child services in addition to discounted public transportation fares for families with three or more children. The government is trying to encourage women to have babies by making it easier on mothers and fathers to support their child while still earning a living and maintaining a job. These initiatives appear to have worked seeing as fertility rates have risen from 1.67 (in 1992) to 2.01 (in 2015) and helped strengthen the middle class with all of the available and free childcare services. The pro-natalist initiatives are hence positive impacts of an aging population.

To conclude, an aging population has various effects and impacts on its country. A shortage of personnel and economic deficits are negative impacts that accompany an aging population. Fertility-rate increase initiatives, such as “La Code de la Famille”, that strengthen the middle class and offer funds to those that to have babies are some positive impacts of an aging population. Should these initiatives continue to be as effective as they are now, France’s population in projected to stabilize within 50 years.