France sees more deaths than births in 2025 for first time since WWII
France recorded more deaths than births in 2025 for the first time since World War II, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) reported.
An estimated 645,000 babies were born last year, down 2.1% from 660,000 in 2024, while deaths rose 1.5% to about 651,000, driven by a severe winter influenza outbreak. Compared with 2010, births have fallen by nearly a quarter, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.
Despite the natural population decline, France’s overall population grew slightly due to net migration of around 176,000 people, bringing the total to roughly 69.1 million as of January 1, 2026. INSEE also noted the country’s fertility rate fell to 1.56 children per woman, one of the lowest levels since World War I, while life expectancy remained above the EU average.
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