While in most European countries the decline in the birth rate is primarily explained by the decline in first births, Switzerland is following a different trajectory. As reported by “Le Courrier”, the fertility rate there has fallen to 1.29 children per woman, a level lower than the European Union average (1.34). If first births have decreased by 8.5% over the last five years, second births have fallen by 9% and third births by 13.6%. Demographer Laura Bernardi, from the University of Lausanne, concludes that many couples still become parents, but choose to stop after one or two children.
This development is explained above all by financial and organizational constraints. The first child already requires finding a childcare solution, sometimes reducing working hours or moving. The second can still be integrated into this new organization. On the other hand, the transition to a third child is often a real leap. “It generally requires more living space, higher childcare costs and a further reduction in working hours,” underlines the specialist.
Added to these difficulties is a cost of living that is among the highest in the world. According to several estimates, raising a child costs at least half a million € in Switzerland. If we take into account the loss of income linked to part-time work, the bill can even approach a million €. Middle-class families are particularly affected, because they bear very high childcare costs without always benefiting from the aid intended for the most modest households.
Family policy singled out
Laura Bernardi also believes that Swiss family policy remains behind that of many European countries. The country does not have real flexible parental leave, and nursery places remain particularly expensive. Conversely, Scandinavian countries offer longer, better paid leave and more accessible reception structures, which makes it easier to reconcile professional and family life. Even if these measures are not enough, on their own, to stem the decline in the birth rate, they help reduce the obstacles faced by young parents.
For the researcher, Switzerland would benefit from considering children no longer as an exclusively private matter, but as a collective issue. Without increased support for families, the combination of the cost of living, childcare difficulties, lack of suitable housing and professional sacrifices risks further accentuating this trend. Families with only one child, or even without children, could thus gradually become the new norm in Switzerland.
