As Birth Rate Drops, Sociologist Warns Many Maltese Struggling To Make Ends Meet
A Maltese sociologist has linked the nation’s low birth rate to increasingly higher costs in making ends meet.
“Why do people choose to only have one child? More costs, higher loans, parents going from one job to the other, working both full-time and part-time jobs to maintain their current lifestyle,” Bridget Borg told TVM in a recent interview.
Noting that people’s aspirations have evolved over time, she said that while many parents used to have three or four children but were content with living a “simple life”, they now engage their children in several extracurricular activities.
Figures recently released by the National Statistics Office show that Malta’s population increased from 422,509 in 2012 to 520,971 in 2021.
However, the birth rate has plummeted, with recent data showing Malta has the lowest birth rate in the EU, with an average of 1.14 births per woman.
There were a total of 4,393 births and 4,165 deaths last year, a difference of 232, the lowest it’s been in a decade.
This means population growth has been sustained by migration to Malta; indeed, 18,148 people moved to Malta in 2021, offset by 13,509 who moved out.
Borg questioned whether Maltese people who want to continue living in Malta are even able to live a comfortable life.
“If they work two jobs, is it because they enjoy working or because they don’t have a choice and they are struggling to get by?”
Has life become too expensive?
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