A growing number of right-wing figures, including US Vice-President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk, are calling for higher birth rates to counter ageing populations. Vance, who is expecting his fourth child, has urged 'more babies in America', while Musk warns that civilisation will crumble without more children. In Europe, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has pledged to tackle the 'demographic winter' of low birth rates, and former Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán offered tax exemptions to women with four or more children.
However, commentator John Harris argues that these figures overlook the role of immigration. He notes that falling birth rates are often blamed on liberal individualism and women pursuing careers, but the real solution lies in migration. Harris points out that ageing societies face fewer workers supporting rising pension and healthcare costs, which diverts resources from climate action and long-term planning.
Recent data from England and Wales shows the total fertility rate fell to under 1.4, the lowest in nearly 50 years, with deaths outstripping births for the first time since the 1970s. Schools are already seeing surplus places, and closures are expected. Harris suggests that rather than focusing solely on boosting births, governments should embrace immigration as a practical solution to demographic challenges.
