France Records More Deaths Than Births for First Time Since World War II

Official figures show France’s fertility rate fell to its lowest level since World War I, marking a historic demographic turning point despite continued population growth driven by immigration.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

France recorded more deaths than births in 2025 for the first time since the end of World War II, as the country’s fertility rate fell to a historic low, according to newly released official data.

France registered 645,000 births and 651,000 deaths last year, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, known by its French acronym INSEE, said in its 2025 demographic report published Jan. 13. The figures resulted in a natural population deficit of about 6,000 people, ending decades of postwar natural population growth.

Births declined 2.1 percent from 2024 and were 24 percent lower than in 2010, the most recent peak year. Deaths increased 1.5 percent compared with the previous year, a rise INSEE attributed in part to a severe winter influenza outbreak that proved “particularly deadly at the beginning of the year.”

Despite the negative natural balance, France’s overall population continued to edge upward. INSEE estimated the population at 69.1 million people as of Jan. 1, an increase of 0.25 percent from a year earlier, largely due to immigration flows.

The age structure of the population continued to shift markedly. INSEE reported that 22 percent of residents were aged 65 or older, nearly matching the proportion of those under 20, highlighting the accelerating pace of population aging.

Economists warned that the demographic shift is likely to intensify labor market pressures. Philippe Crevel, an economist with the Cercle d’Epargne think tank, said the retirement of the large baby boomer generation would strain the workforce in the coming years. “Given the retirement of the large generations born in the 1960s, labour market tensions and workforce problems are likely to increase rapidly,” he said.

Fertility

France has traditionally maintained one of the highest fertility rates in the European Union. In 2023, the EU’s statistics agency Eurostat ranked France second among member states, behind Bulgaria, with 1.66 births per woman.

That advantage narrowed further in 2025. INSEE reported France’s total fertility rate fell to 1.56 children per woman, down from 1.61 in 2024, marking its lowest level since the end of World War I. The figure remains slightly above the European Union average of 1.38 in 2023, according to Eurostat.

Life expectancy continued to improve overall. INSEE said women born in 2025 could expect to live 85.9 years, while men could expect to live 80.3 years.

Life Expectancy Gaps

Separate research from the Cercle d’Epargne highlighted widening disparities in life expectancy tied to income. In a 2026 study, the think tank cited INSEE data showing significant gaps between the wealthiest and poorest segments of the population.

Between 2020 and 2024, men in the richest five percent had a life expectancy at birth of 85 years, compared with 72 years for men in the poorest five percent, a difference of 13 years. Among women, life expectancy reached 88.7 years for the wealthiest five percent and 80.1 years for the poorest, a gap of nine years. The study said income was the strongest determinant of life expectancy, though diet, health behaviors, and working conditions also contributed.

European Trends

France’s demographic shift mirrors broader patterns across Europe. Italy reported 369,944 births in 2024, a decline of nearly 2.6 percent from the previous year, according to its national statistics agency. Italy’s fertility rate fell to 1.18 children per woman, the lowest ever recorded, continuing a decline that began in 2008.

In Greece, population decline is already affecting public services. For the 2025–2026 academic year, total enrollment in primary, secondary, and vocational education is expected to drop to about 1.21 million students, down more than 150,000 from the 2018–2019 school year, according to data from the Greek Ministry of Education.

Across the European Union, women are also having children later in life. Eurostat data show the average age at first birth reached 29.8 years in 2023, with Italy recording the highest average at 31.8 years, followed by Ireland at 31.6.