This week, the Telegraph will be publishing a series of essays from experts on the demographic crisis facing much of the world, with falling birth rates and ageing populations seen across many regions.
Across the Western world, birth rates are falling below replacement levels, triggering a silent but existential crisis. Without enough young people entering the workforce, economies stagnate, pension systems become unsustainable, and national vitality declines. The demographic winter we are facing is not just a social issue – it threatens the very survival of nations. Economists and demographers warn that if current trends continue, we are heading toward economic collapse and political instability.
For years, liberals have argued that mass migration is the answer to falling birth rates. But Hungary has firmly rejected this idea, recognising the damage that uncontrolled immigration can inflict on a society. Illegal mass migration leads to social and political destabilisation – it is no coincidence that Hungary has declared zero tolerance toward it. We respect that others may think differently, but we will not allow the liberal position to be imposed on Hungary.
In the United States, for example, 55 per cent of those polled by Gallup in 2024 said immigration should be reduced – the highest figure since 1995. Even controlled migration has limits, and using immigration as a substitute for domestic population growth is disastrous.
In Britain, one study estimated that if immigration were used to sustain labour force growth, by 2083 more than half the population would be of foreign origin. Already at current levels, around 10 per cent of the European Union’s population and 14.3 per cent of the US population is foreign-born. We must state clearly: migration is not the solution to demographic decline.
The only true solution is to support families and encourage higher birth rates among the domestic population. Surveys show that many people, even in wealthy countries, have fewer children than they actually desire. In the United States, 39 per cent of adults report having fewer children than they would like. People tend to have similar values. According to data from the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families, 98 per cent of Hungarians consider family to be the most important value. The childbearing plans of young Hungarians have not changed: the majority still wish to have two children, and childlessness is not regarded as a desirable way of life.
Good family policy does not force women into out-of-date roles but creates an environment where starting a family is compatible with personal and professional ambitions. In Hungary, family policy is based on a comprehensive approach that supports women’s career goals alongside motherhood. As a result, the gender pay gap for mothers has been virtually eliminated.
Hungary has developed a systematic, complex strategy to support families. It is based on the principle that those who want children should be helped, not discouraged. Here are some examples:
Mothers can stay at home for three years after giving birth, with the first six months paid at a rate higher than their previous salary – they receive their full gross salary, not just the net amount.
Mothers under 30 are exempt from personal income tax, and mothers with two or more children pay no personal income tax for the rest of their lives.
Married couples expecting or having a child can apply for an interest-free loan up to €30.000 – and if they have three children, the loan is fully forgiven.
The government offers low-interest fixed-rate housing loans for families. In the case of three or more children, families can access up to €127,000.
The government also provides non-refundable financial grants up to €37.500 for families who move to rural areas.
Overall, Hungary has implemented more than 30 family support measures. These are not isolated initiatives, but parts of a cohesive strategy, called the comprehensive family life model, which is based on three pillars.
First, increase family incomes so that people have the financial base to start and raise families.
Second, support housing, because having a home is fundamental to starting a family.
Third, ensure long-term financial security for women. A lot of women would like to have families but they are afraid that motherhood would mean an existential risk. We built a safety net to increase the income (and the living standard with it) for women.
The result is an environment where having children is an attractive and sustainable choice.
The country’s commitment to family policy is not just political – it is constitutional:
“Hungary shall protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman established by voluntary decision, and the family as the basis for the survival of the nation. The protection of families and the encouragement of having children shall be the responsibility of the State.”
In 2010, Hungary ranked last among EU member states in terms of total fertility rate, but according to the latest Eurostat data from 2023, we have risen to third place. This significant progress is largely thanks to the targeted government family support policies implemented over the past fifteen years. As a result, since 2010, 200,000 more children have been born than would have been expected based on previous demographic trends. In parallel with the rise in births, the number of marriages has significantly increased, the number of divorces has decreased. Even the number of abortions has fallen significantly – all without the introduction of new restrictive legislation.
Never before have so few children been born in the European Union as today. Among the EU member states, between 2010 and 2023, Hungary recorded the largest increase in the number of births per 1,000 women aged 20–39. Overall, research shows that in Hungary, fewer women are giving birth, but they are having more children.
Hungary’s vision does not end at its borders. We are working to build an international coalition based on family policy and demographic renewal.
For too long, the international political space has been dominated by globalist ideologies that accelerated demographic decline. It is time for patriots around the world to reclaim the moral high ground.
Population collapse threatens all Western civilisation. Supporting families and securing demographic sustainability is not only a national interest – it is a cause for all who care about the future of our civilisation.
This week, the Telegraph will be publishing a series of essays from experts on the demographic crisis facing much of the world, with falling birth rates and ageing populations seen across many regions.
Across the Western world, birth rates are falling below replacement levels, triggering a silent but existential crisis. Without enough young people entering the workforce, economies stagnate, pension systems become unsustainable, and national vitality declines. The demographic winter we are facing is not just a social issue – it threatens the very survival of nations. Economists and demographers warn that if current trends continue, we are heading toward economic collapse and political instability.
For years, liberals have argued that mass migration is the answer to falling birth rates. But Hungary has firmly rejected this idea, recognising the damage that uncontrolled immigration can inflict on a society. Illegal mass migration leads to social and political destabilisation – it is no coincidence that Hungary has declared zero tolerance toward it. We respect that others may think differently, but we will not allow the liberal position to be imposed on Hungary.
In the United States, for example, 55 per cent of those polled by Gallup in 2024 said immigration should be reduced – the highest figure since 1995. Even controlled migration has limits, and using immigration as a substitute for domestic population growth is disastrous.
In Britain, one study estimated that if immigration were used to sustain labour force growth, by 2083 more than half the population would be of foreign origin. Already at current levels, around 10 per cent of the European Union’s population and 14.3 per cent of the US population is foreign-born. We must state clearly: migration is not the solution to demographic decline.
The only true solution is to support families and encourage higher birth rates among the domestic population. Surveys show that many people, even in wealthy countries, have fewer children than they actually desire. In the United States, 39 per cent of adults report having fewer children than they would like. People tend to have similar values. According to data from the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families, 98 per cent of Hungarians consider family to be the most important value. The childbearing plans of young Hungarians have not changed: the majority still wish to have two children, and childlessness is not regarded as a desirable way of life.
Good family policy does not force women into out-of-date roles but creates an environment where starting a family is compatible with personal and professional ambitions. In Hungary, family policy is based on a comprehensive approach that supports women’s career goals alongside motherhood. As a result, the gender pay gap for mothers has been virtually eliminated.
Hungary has developed a systematic, complex strategy to support families. It is based on the principle that those who want children should be helped, not discouraged. Here are some examples:
Mothers can stay at home for three years after giving birth, with the first six months paid at a rate higher than their previous salary – they receive their full gross salary, not just the net amount.
Mothers under 30 are exempt from personal income tax, and mothers with two or more children pay no personal income tax for the rest of their lives.
Married couples expecting or having a child can apply for an interest-free loan up to €30.000 – and if they have three children, the loan is fully forgiven.
The government offers low-interest fixed-rate housing loans for families. In the case of three or more children, families can access up to €127,000.
The government also provides non-refundable financial grants up to €37.500 for families who move to rural areas.
Overall, Hungary has implemented more than 30 family support measures. These are not isolated initiatives, but parts of a cohesive strategy, called the comprehensive family life model, which is based on three pillars.
First, increase family incomes so that people have the financial base to start and raise families.
Second, support housing, because having a home is fundamental to starting a family.
Third, ensure long-term financial security for women. A lot of women would like to have families but they are afraid that motherhood would mean an existential risk. We built a safety net to increase the income (and the living standard with it) for women.
The result is an environment where having children is an attractive and sustainable choice.
The country’s commitment to family policy is not just political – it is constitutional:
“Hungary shall protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman established by voluntary decision, and the family as the basis for the survival of the nation. The protection of families and the encouragement of having children shall be the responsibility of the State.”
In 2010, Hungary ranked last among EU member states in terms of total fertility rate, but according to the latest Eurostat data from 2023, we have risen to third place. This significant progress is largely thanks to the targeted government family support policies implemented over the past fifteen years. As a result, since 2010, 200,000 more children have been born than would have been expected based on previous demographic trends. In parallel with the rise in births, the number of marriages has significantly increased, the number of divorces has decreased. Even the number of abortions has fallen significantly – all without the introduction of new restrictive legislation.
Never before have so few children been born in the European Union as today. Among the EU member states, between 2010 and 2023, Hungary recorded the largest increase in the number of births per 1,000 women aged 20–39. Overall, research shows that in Hungary, fewer women are giving birth, but they are having more children.
Hungary’s vision does not end at its borders. We are working to build an international coalition based on family policy and demographic renewal.
For too long, the international political space has been dominated by globalist ideologies that accelerated demographic decline. It is time for patriots around the world to reclaim the moral high ground.
Population collapse threatens all Western civilisation. Supporting families and securing demographic sustainability is not only a national interest – it is a cause for all who care about the future of our civilisation.