SAN MARINO – The debate on the “PdL Family” bill, which will conclude its process in the Commission on Thursday, ignites the positions of the parties. RETE intervenes clearly: every measure that increases protection, rights and economic support for those who decide to have children is positive, but be careful not to delude yourself that bonuses are enough to reverse the decline in births.
The numbers speak for themselves: in 2011 there were 331 thousand newborns, today it is estimated that they will barely exceed 100 thousand. Economic support measures have not stopped the demographic decline, demonstrating that the problem must be addressed organically. A bonus can help those who already have a certain economic solidity – home, stable income, family support – but it remains useless for those who live in precariousness, pay unsustainable rents and see no future prospects.
According to RETE, deciding to give birth to a child requires security: accessible homes, stable and dignified work, social services, nurseries, schools and after-school programs that allow young parents to combine work and family. The reality, however, is that young people enter the world of work late and remain precarious for years with insufficient salaries and costs that are out of control. No economic incentive can convince them to build a family in these conditions.
For RETE, therefore, we need structural policies shared with trade unions and social partners, to guarantee access to housing, wages adjusted to inflation and combat precariousness. Without this leap in quality, the bonuses will remain “tips” that do not change the lives of those who really want to become parents. The birth rate is not supported with headlines and propaganda, but by creating the conditions so that everyone can choose to have children in a better world.
