More Bulgarian babies have not solved the challenges of an ageing population
The European Commission wants to make it easier for people to have the number of children they want, including through childcare, work-life balance and housing policies. But Bulgaria is a case in point that fertility alone is not enough.
Despite having one of the EU’s highest fertility rates, Bulgarian deaths far outnumber births and the workforce continues to shrink.
According to national data, births in Bulgaria fell by 6.6% in 2024 and 6% in 2025. The fertility rate followed the same trajectory, dropping from 1.79 children per woman in 2023 to 1.72 in 2024 and 1.63 last year.
Bulgaria nevertheless topped the EU’s latest comparable fertility ranking, meaning its strong relative position reflects decline from a higher starting point rather than an improving demographic picture.
