France Records Historic Demographic Shift

For the first time since World War II, France recorded more deaths than births in 2025, with 651,000 deaths and 645,000 births, according to Inseego. This development erodes France's long-held demographic advantage within the European Union. The fertility rate dropped to 1.56 children per woman, the lowest since World War I, and well below pension funding forecasts. This demographic shift is expected to push public spending back to pandemic-era highs and erode the tax base, leading to increased labor market tensions as large generations born in the 1960s retire. Despite the natural population decline, France's total population grew slightly to 69.1 million due to net migration of 176,000. Life expectancy reached record highs, and the share of people aged 65 or older climbed to 22 percent, nearly matching those under 20. This trend aligns France with many other European Union countries facing similar demographic challenges.