By Loukas Liggis

• Municipal Councilor for the Municipality of Ayia Napa
• Member of the Executive Bureau of NEDISY

The demographic situation is becoming one of the most serious issues facing the Republic of Cyprus today. The latest Eurostat data confirm this alarming trend, as the aging of the population has been particularly pronounced over the past decade. Specifically, between 2015 and 2025, the median age in Cyprus increased by approximately 4 years, from 37 to 41 years, a rate that ranks among the highest in the European Union. At the same time, citizens aged 65 and older now account for nearly one in five of the country’s residents. Meanwhile, the total fertility rate remains significantly below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, a fact that foreshadows a further deterioration of the demographic picture in the coming years.

All of the above demonstrate that we are no longer dealing with a theoretical trend, but with a sequence of developments that are already affecting the country’s economic and social stability. The gradual contraction of the economy’s productive base is putting pressure on the labor market, productivity, growth prospects, and the sustainability of the Social Security Fund. Demographic trends, however, do not merely affect economic balances and statistical indicators. Over time, it affects the demographic resilience of the Greek Cypriot community, the cultural continuity, and the social cohesion of our homeland.

A society that ages without demographic renewal risks gradually losing its vitality, its cultural continuity, and its social cohesion. That is why demographics are not merely a socioeconomic issue; they are a matter of national survival. If we want a sustainable and strong Cyprus, support for young families cannot remain a mere wish list; it must become a clear policy choice and a top priority.

Speaking daily with young men and women from every corner of Cyprus, I find that in many cases the decision to start a family is not postponed due to a lack of desire, but because of the insecurity of daily life. The rising cost of housing—even for renting a small apartment— salaries of 1,000 to 1,500 euros that do not keep pace with the high cost of living, and the lack of affordable childcare create a suffocating environment for young couples. Many young people are forced to choose between their careers and starting a family, with the result that the decision to have a child feels like a risk rather than a natural progression in life.

Cyprus needs a National Demographic Recovery Plan with specific goals, timelines, and annual evaluations. Piecemeal benefits or pre-election promises are not enough. What is needed is a permanent and coherent policy that links starting a family with housing, taxation, employment, child care, and support for mothers and fathers.

There are examples of this. In Germany, the Kindergeld allowance, which amounts to approximately 250 euros per month per child until the age of 18, provides substantial support for the cost of raising children. In Hungary, strong tax incentives are in place, such as a full income tax exemption for mothers with four or more children, as well as significant tax breaks for families with two or three children, combined with subsidized mortgages and partial forgiveness of the loan upon the birth of children. Sweden provides 480 days of paid parental leave, with a large portion covering up to 80% of the salary, while in France, extensive public childcare and subsidies reduce the net cost to parents to nearly zero.

Demographics are not just another issue of political contention. They are a matter of social cohesion and long-term survival. If we truly want Cyprus to have a future, we must actively support people who want to start a family—not with symbolic gestures, but with comprehensive policies that will strengthen demographic resilience and ensure the continuity of the Greek heritage of Cyprus in a partially occupied homeland facing multiple challenges and increased migration pressures.