Czechia is experiencing a significant and sustained decline in its birth rate, raising concerns about long-term impacts on the country’s economy, social services, and population structure.
After a modest increase in births during 2021, the following year saw a notable drop of around 12,000 births, pushing the total below the 100,000 mark.
The average number of children per woman fell to 1.66, erasing several years of gradual improvement.
As reported by Echo24, the trend continued into 2023, with fewer than 92,000 births recorded — a decline of 8 percent from the previous year. Preliminary data for 2024 suggests the fertility rate has fallen further to around 1.37 children per woman.
These figures not only reflect a persistent decline but also surpass even the most cautious forecasts. Projections that anticipated such numbers for the 2030s have arrived much earlier than expected. If the pattern holds, the number of annual births could fall to approximately 76,000 by the end of the decade.
This demographic shift is being experienced in multiple European nations, perhaps most pressingly in Germany, and has widespread implications. Currently, about 20 percent of Czechia’s population is over the age of 65, and projections indicate that this could rise to nearly one-third by the 2050s.
As older generations retire from the workforce, there will be increased pressure on the pension system, which already constitutes a major part of public spending.
Healthcare costs are also rising. Spending has exceeded 500 billion crowns (€19.9 billion) annually, and as the population continues to age, further increases are anticipated.
According to analysis by the Association of Social Service Providers, maintaining current care standards will require more than 27,000 additional beds in care home facilities by 2050, along with a significant expansion of the care workforce.
“The share of people over 65 years of age will increase from the current 19.9 percent to 28.8 percent in 2050. In the age group over 80, there will be an increase from the current 4.1 percent of the total population to 9.0 percent in 2050, with the sharpest increase in this category occurring by 2035 and then slowing down,” the report added.
In response to these challenges, the government has enacted pension reform aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability. Under the new measures, the retirement age will gradually increase each year, eventually reaching 67 — two years higher than the current threshold.
Additionally, from 2026, the formula for calculating new pensions will be adjusted, reducing the portion of earnings counted each year.
The Czech government argues that these changes, signed into law by President Petr Pavel in December last year, will help secure pensions for current younger generations and avoid pensions taking up a projected 5 percent of GDP five percent of GDP by 2050.
