Slovakia records historic low birthrate and rising pension anxieties

A recent UNIQA survey shows Slovakia's crude birth rate fell to a historic low in 2025, with only 42,019 children born – a drop of nearly a third since 1995 and the lowest level in a century. The crude rate fell to 776 births per 100,000 people. Young couples cite uncertainty about the future, fear of global conflict, and concerns about mental health and parenting ability as primary reasons for delaying or forgoing children. Zuzana Podmanická, director of the statistics department, noted that “the crude birth rate in Slovakia reached its lowest level in the last 100 years.”

A separate Finax poll reveals deep anxiety about retirement security. Seventy‑seven percent of Slovaks fear that state pensions will be insufficient, and 69 % worry the government could intervene in the second‑pillar private pension system. The government’s 2022 reduction of mandatory contributions from 5.5 % to 4 % transferred about €365 million to the state treasury. The survey highlights growing interest in the EU-wide pension scheme, which protects savings from national policy changes. Average balances now exceed €6,200, and Slovak participants contribute about €150 per month.

Both surveys point to a broader demographic and economic challenge for Slovakia, intertwining declining fertility with concerns over future retirement adequacy.