Thessaloniki International Fair 2025: Demographics Take Center Stage

The demographic crisis has become Greece’s most pressing long-term challenge and is expected to dominate Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s announcements at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). Measures under discussion include changes to the child allowance scheme, direct support for young couples, and the long-delayed extension of benefits for families with three children—currently reserved for larger households.

Births in free fall

According to ELSTAT, just 62,624 births were recorded in 2024, compared with 71,249 in 2023—a drop of almost 12% in a single year.

• Greece’s fertility rate stands at 1.3 children per woman, among the lowest in the EU.
• The population replacement rate is 2.1 children per woman.

In comparison:

• France: 1.8
• Sweden: 1.7
• Italy: 1.2–1.3 (similar to Greece)

The domino effect of low fertility

The collapse in birth rates is reshaping the education system:

• In 2024, the Education Ministry closed 766 schools (over 5% of the total) due to a lack of students.
• In the past seven years, primary school enrollment fell by 111,000 children, a decline of 19%.

The labor market is also shrinking:

• The 30–44 age group contracted by 78,300 people in 2024,
• The 20–24 age group fell by 15,100.

A shrinking, aging nation

The European Commission’s Ageing Report projects that Greece’s population will fall to about 10 million by 2030, a cumulative decline of over 4% between 2022 and 2030.

Since 2011, Greece has already lost 500,000 residents. The demographic balance is grim:

• 23% of the population is over 65,
• Seniors now outnumber children aged 0–14 by 1 million.

Why Greeks hesitate to have children

A 2024 Metron Analysis survey for Eurobank identified demographics as the 4th greatest threat facing Greece.

Top reasons families postpone or avoid having children:

• 73% say they cannot provide the quality of life they would want for their children,
• Inadequate state support (healthcare, childcare facilities),
• Lack of affordable housing,
• Incompatible work–school schedules,
• Weak family support networks.

Today, Greek families average 1 child, although the “desired” number is 2.3 children.

What the government is preparing

At TIF, the government is expected to unveil:

• Revised eligibility criteria for the child allowance,
• Possible increases in allowance payments,
• Extension of family benefits for three-child households,
• Housing and childcare support for young couples.

Greece is confronting a demographic emergency. With fewer births, more school closures, and an aging population, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless bold, family-focused policies are implemented, the country risks entering an irreversible cycle of population decline and social strain, a reality that will shape both its economy and its future place in Europe.

Source: pagenews.gr