To think France's plan to write to every 29 year old reminding them to breed is patronising nonsense??

[Designless]

Nobody alive is forgetting to do this

A lot of people don't want to because in the modern era it's not necessary and a lot less fun than other stuff

Some people DO want to but can't in which case idk give them the missing tools or funds

But nobody is forgetting

Why does this whole topic seem to bamboozle policymakers so hard?

France does a lot to financially incentivise people to have children- tax reductions, birth grants, monthly allowance, free childcare from age 3 etc. Plus housing is significantly cheaper there than here (outside of Paris). They also haven't privatised public services so electricity, rail travel etc is cheaper than the UK.

Well I read today that the Reform candidate for Denton wants to tax women who don't have children. I wish these right-wingers would just fuck off trying to control women's bodies.

Ignoring the outraged spin on it, it's a letter informing women what free fertility treatment is available. I'm sure a lot of infertile women will be grateful to receive it. But don't let facts get in the way.

Princess Diana was what? Forced to have a gynae exam in France? That's not very kind.

As @Designless says, the late Millennials /early Gen Zer’s who would receive this letter are quite capable of deciding whether they want future generations.

Factual information on infertility is fine, but older generations (I’m Gen X) can’t tell them what to do. If they don’t want younger people, that’s their decision.

Erm, yes you can have kids at 42. That's your choice and fertility wise it can work and career and finances wise it definitely does.

So.. we just die out within 4 generations then? All the countries that support feminism just disappear within a few hundred years, a few generations of women have equality and raised standard of lives and then we lose everything. The patriachal religions win because they are still standing, what was the point if there is no longevity.

There a few women who get pregnant at 42. Most women won't be able to. For most women, if they start trying at that age, they won't end up with a baby.

How ridiculous and awful. It’s like Handmaid’s Tale!

This.

There are some people who never wanted and will never want kids. This is not about them.

There are also a lot of women who wanted kids, but never had them, or had fewer than they would like, because they ran out of options or time.

Not in France but but before she married Prince Charles as he then was.

Its Eugenics by the back door and will be coming to the UK if Reform get anywhere near power.

How many women looking to explore fertility treatment would be sitting around waiting for a letter from the government? Rather few, I expect.

But France’s birth rate one of highest?

Key Trends in European Birth Rates (2023-2024)

• Lowest Rates: Italy, Spain, Malta, and Greece consistently report the lowest fertility rates in the EU, often struggling with rates below 1.3 children per woman.
• Declines in Nordic Countries: Finland reported its lowest rate since 1776 (1.25 in 2024), and Sweden's rate has dropped to 1.43.
• Highest Rates: France (1.64–1.79) and Romania (1.71–1.77) have recently reported the highest, though still below replacement, fertility rates in the EU.
• Overall Trend: Since 2003, all EU countries except Bulgaria have experienced a decrease in births.
• Impact of Immigration: In 2023, high-income countries like Germany and the UK faced reliance on immigration to sustain populations due to low native birth rates

I’ve been married to 2 Frenchmen in France and have never had to do this. Kids were born and raised in France. And are now adults. Where on earth did you live that this was a requirement?

Exactly. Every time there is something baity about France/immigration/muslims etc in the news you’d think critical thinking skills would tell you that it’s very likely to be some shade of bollocks.

Does no-one ever think why is this being written? Who is paying for it? And what’s their agenda?

I’ve never read this book but I really should. It sounds amazing. Somebody sends somebody a letter, and then a load of people lie about it.

All anecdotal but among my friends and DDs friends, inc her, none are poor, in fact many have 6 figure household incomes, they just don't want kids, they want to travel, city breaks, meals out & buy nice stuff.

I'm always amazed that none have the slightest bit of concern for climate change either.

Fertility rates are falling too, across the world, is this to do with over population?

Declining birthrates are going to be a huge problem in the short to medium term.

France has a particular problem providing public services in rural areas, though i 'd imagine getting a letter like this, regardless of its well meaning intent, would have the opposite affect.

I got married in 2010 in France. No medical data required whatsoever!

From a government led by a French President who has never had any children.

France used to monetise children and give medals for the best breeders.

You're obviously not aware of L'administraton Francaise @Designless - if you think the UK Government is overbearing, don't go live in France. On the upside, there are many financial incentives for those with children. Plus the quality of life is far better.

Did you know your time to experience this amazing deal is limited??

Unfortunately, women especially have a very limited time to have successful healthy pregnancies. There’s loads of women who leave it too late and end up needing IVF which isn’t always successful. Or they have children with SEN. You hate children, we get it. No one is forcing you to have children.

Whether this is true, exaggerated, or misleading, if the letter has only been sent to women then there's the issue. Women don't reproduce in a vacuum!

Indeed. They dream of a Gilead style theocracy. They won't frame it in overtly religious terms over here but they're following the Heritage Foundation's agenda, which is NOT just about the US but about Europe as well:
https://www.politico.eu/article/the-heritage-foundation-goes-from-maga-to-mega-make-europe-great-again-donald-trump-us-influence/
The Politico article focuses on the HF's efforts around EU countries but we know that the UK's most right wing politicians are already close to them.