The second working session of the ECR Group Study Days in Vilnius focused on one of Europe’s most pressing long-term challenges: demographic decline and the social, cultural and economic consequences of falling birth rates across the continent.

The panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Vincentas Vobolevičius of the ISM University of Management and Economics, brought together Lithuanian MEP Aurelijus Veryga, former Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło, Lithuanian Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė and Italian ECR MEP Paolo Inselvini.

Opening the debate, Vincentas Vobolevičius argued that Europe’s demographic crisis cannot be explained purely through economics or urbanisation, but reflects deeper societal and cultural changes. “The real problem behind demographic decline lies in the model of society itself and in changing social habits. After the Covid period especially, many of the traditional assumptions about family life and community have changed profoundly,” he said.

Rita Tamašunienė stressed that reversing demographic decline requires not only financial support, but also a broader cultural and legislative shift that strengthens the status of families, marriage and parenthood.

“To address demographic decline, we need both cultural and legislative change. In Lithuania, we are working to support families, strengthen respect for marriage and motherhood and promote family life more positively in society and the media,” Tamašunienė said. She argued that communication and political messaging increasingly shape how younger generations perceive family life and parenthood. “If society constantly presents children as a burden rather than a blessing, demographic recovery becomes far more difficult,” she added.

Paolo Inselvini argued that demographic decline must become a strategic priority for Europe and warned against treating mass migration as a substitute for family policy.

“The family must be protected because it is the link between our past and our future. Europe cannot solve its demographic crisis simply through uncontrolled migration,” Inselvini said. He stressed that migration must remain limited, orderly and compatible with European cultural integration, while demographic renewal should primarily come through stronger support for European families. “Our real revolution is the normality of family life — not ideological confusion about identity and gender,” he added.

Aurelijus Veryga described demographic decline as a complex social challenge that cannot be solved through financial incentives alone. “Incentives matter, but our societies increasingly fail to encourage young people to see children and family life positively. Too often, parenthood is presented almost as a burden,” Veryga said. He argued that demographic policy must therefore include a broader cultural debate about values, stability and long-term social confidence.

Former Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło stressed that Europe’s demographic future will depend on whether political leaders are prepared to defend families as a central pillar of society rather than treating demographic decline as an unavoidable trend. She said: “The answer to demographic collapse is not ideological experiments or mass migration. The answer is restoring conditions in which Europeans once again feel confident to marry, have children and build long-term lives. Strong families are not only a private matter. They are the foundation of social stability, economic resilience and cultural continuity across Europe.”

The debate also focused on family policy, housing, education, cultural attitudes towards parenthood and the long-term economic consequences of demographic decline for Europe’s welfare systems and labour markets.