The dark side of natalism: why right-wingers want your babies

With birth rates dropping across Europe, politicians including Emmanuel Macron and Viktor Orban are espousing natalism but there’s a sinister side
to the idea

Pet peeve: Pope Francis has said that ‘selfishness’ has led to societies that prefer pets over children. Photo by Filippo Monteforte/AFP

Róisín Lanigan

When was the last time you went to a wedding? This weekend, right? And next weekend you have a hen do, or a stag. And the weekend after that, and the one after that.

OK, fine. When was the last time you went to a baby shower? Or a christening? Harder question, right? That’s because we’re all having fewer children, and we’re having children much older, if we have children at all.