There is no need for tax mechanisms or complex support: to have a child, couples would like to have a monthly income of between 500 and 1,000 euros a month, depending on income, at least until the child’s primary school is over. This is what emerges from a survey submitted to 425 people, 270 women of childbearing age and 155 couples during gynecological clinic consultations from January to today.
The survey – carried out by the Prenatal Diagnosis and Maternal Fetal Medicine Society – asked the people involved which of the bonuses in force, tax relief, strengthening of current social supports (such as books, kindergartens, parental leave, etc.) and a contribution of 500-1,000 euros to son, according to income, was the most convincing and that would have made them decide to expand the family. According to the survey, the current bonuses were considered absolutely insufficient, as is the reduction of taxes and irrelevant are social benefits. The contribution of 500-1,000 euros per child, on the other hand, received 100% approval.
“It has become clear that young couples have clear ideas about what would allow them to decide to give birth to a child: that is, serious economic support for each child,” said Claudio Giorlandino, gynecologist and president of the Society for Prenatal Diagnosis and maternal and fetal medicine.
Instead of disbursing euros in rain, Giorlandino argues, “the 50/100,000 couples who, due to objective income limits, cannot afford a child should be supported with money for each child. Children are an asset, as well as guaranteeing the future will move the economy. Once again, advertising for disappearing childhood products would begin to appear on the streets, replaced by a plethora of gallows humor, macabre and embarrassing billboards for funeral homes”. Giorlandino invites “not to forget that only 300,000 Italians are born compared to about 800,000 deaths: we are losing over 500,000 compatriots a year. In a few decades there will be no more Italians. We will lose that wonderful people who, for over 2,000 years, have been a beacon of civilization, culture and progress for all humanity. This is not a question of evoking a conspiracy ‘ethnic substitution’ – he concludes – but it is clear that we are disappearing”.
