Getting older: Demographic challenges in South East Europe
As South East European populations grow older, demography is becoming a key topic in political and academic debates in the region. From Zagreb to Athens, all three main determinants of the age structure of a population – low fertility, growing life expectancy, and net emigration – are pointing to an increasingly unsustainable share of elderly citizens with serious ramifications for the future of South East European economies and societies.
In recent decades, shifting cultural norms around the meaning of family and suboptimal policy configurations for the work-life balance of parents have depressed birth rates far below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. Life expectancy has been rising well into the late 70s despite the partial (and presumably temporary) reversal caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, net emigration of mostly working-age population has exacerbated the distortive effects of the previous two trends on population aging, in stark contrast to the mitigating role played by net immigration in some West European countries.
This session will provide an overview of these demographic trends and address their broader implications for the intergenerational social contract in South East Europe.
If you would like to attend this event in person, please register with Eventbrite.
If you would like to attend this event online, please register with Zoom.