The Netherlands is at risk of a second wave of population aging that could have severe economic and social consequences. According to De Tel
The Netherlands is at risk of a second wave of population aging that could have severe economic and social consequences. According to De Telegraaf, projections suggest the country’s population may fall below 10 million by the end of the century if current birth rates continue to decline. Economic and demographic experts warn that falling fertility rates combined with an aging population will increase pressure on pensions, healthcare, and social services. “The declining birth rate and an additional aging burden create problems for the AOW and especially elderly care,” Casper van Ewijk, professor of economics and director of the pension think tank Netspar, told De Telegraaf. The Netherlands’ Central Planning Bureau (CPB) has calculated that state debt will exceed 100 percent of GDP over the long term, without factoring in potential extra costs from demographic decline. Demographic scenarios from Nidi, the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, and Netspar indicate long-term financial challenges. The Netherlands’ population currently stands at 18.1 million, a growth largely driven by immigration, according to CBS statistics. The national fertility rate has steadily fallen over the past fifteen years. In 2024, Dutch women averaged 1.4 children each, down from 1.6–1.8 in the late 1970s. One in five women now remains childless.
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If only there were something they could do for fast population growth, such as allowing people from other countries to settle in the Netherlands.
