Germany faces prolonged decline in birth rates

Germany is experiencing its lowest number of births since the end of the Second World War. According to a study by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW), approximately 654,000 children were born in 2025, representing an 11 percent decrease compared to ten years prior.

The decline is particularly pronounced in the eastern states of Germany, where births fell by one third over the decade. Among mothers with German citizenship in these regions, the decrease exceeded 40 percent, while western states saw a less severe decline of six to eight percent.

The study identifies two primary drivers for this trend: the total number of potential parents and the frequency with which they choose to have children. Researchers project that the number of women aged 25 to 39, the primary demographic for childbearing, could decrease by approximately 10.2 percent by 2035. This shrinking demographic of potential parents suggests that a rapid reversal of the declining trend is unlikely.