Demographic decline is not only a social or economic challenge, but increasingly a democratic challenge. Europe is facing an unprecedented demographic transformation. Declining birth rates, ageing population, labour shortages and the depopulation of entire regions are no longer a merely social or economic challenge. These are increasingly becoming challenges to democratic resilience, social cohesion and long-term stability.
Demographic decline affects the sustainability of welfare systems, economic competitiveness, territorial development and citizens’ trust in public institutions. It also contributes to political polarisation and growing concerns about the future of democratic societies.
Despite its strategic importance, the demographic challenge has not yet received sufficient attention as a democratic governance issue within the Council of Europe framework.
There is a need to send a strong political signal in Europe on the relationship between demographic trends and democratic resilience, identify good practices across member States and propose policy recommendations aimed at strengthening Europe’s capacity to respond to these long-term challenges.
The Parliamentary Assembly, as a pan-European forum representing the parliaments of 46 member States, is the place where such an initiative could spark a broad European debate and, consequently, policy responses aimed at preserving social cohesion and democratic resilience in the decades ahead could be adopted.