France Records More Deaths Than Births for First Time Since WWII

France has crossed a demographic line it had not crossed in nearly eight decades.

In 2025, more people died than were born in the country — the first time this has happened since the end of World War II.

According to official figures from France’s national statistics office, INSEE, 651,000 people died last year while only 645,000 babies were born. That reversal signals a profound shift in a country that was long considered Europe’s demographic exception, maintaining higher birthrates while many neighboring nations saw their populations shrink.

The change reflects two powerful trends colliding at once: a rapidly aging population and a steep drop in births since the COVID pandemic. France’s fertility rate fell to 1.56 children per woman, its lowest level since World War I and far below what is needed to keep the population stable.

That decline is especially significant because France’s pension system and long-term economic planning assume much higher birthrates.

An aging society means fewer workers paying into the system and more retirees drawing from it.

Economists warn this will increase pressure on public finances, from pensions to healthcare, and could lead to labor shortages across key sectors of the economy.

While France’s total population still rose slightly to 69.1 million thanks to immigration, demographic experts say migration can only partially offset the structural shift.