That vegan children with a bread under their arm is always desirable, although we are not sure how much that "bread" is going to be able to support it, or for how long. Portugal is the sixth oldest country in the world and has one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. But, in times of crisis, it is not easy to establish birth promotion policies.
In Spain, "baby checks" had a limited life, and from time to time we see news of a locality that launches to make its own "gift" to parents who decide to have a baby. What has caught our attention in this case is the amount: a Portuguese town creates a "baby-check" of no less than 5000 euros.
It has been announced by the authorities of Alcoutim, a town located in the southeast of Portugal, a measure adopted with the purpose of contributing to the increase in the birth rate, which in this town has been reduced to 0.9 children per woman, the lowest index in the whole country. But, Will this measure be effective?
Taking into account that, according to some calculations, the minimum expenditure during the first year of the baby is 6200 euros (according to others, the figure amounts to 8000 euros), it is clear that, following the bread metaphor, as an aid of 5000 euros it's bread for today and hungry for tomorrow". With a baby (and more if it is the first), we know how fast the expenses are, so you should think more about the long-term future.
In Portugal, a stable population pyramid is not guaranteed and the evolution of the birth rate continues to decline (as in Spain). But, according to experts, the way to reverse this trend is to apply measures at the national level, which benefit a large part of the population, and that are long-term measures (tax benefits to companies with pregnant women, conciliation aid, salaries complete with half a day ...). Measures that, in these times, do not seem simple. And in Spain we also have it raw.
So, it seems that we have to settle for these "miguitas", which are not a true "bread under the arm". And the fact that this "check-baby" of 5000 euros in Alcoutim encourages some people to increase the family It may result in the well-being of its population, but the country's pyramid will continue to be in danger and many couples will not be able to have children because they cannot afford it.
