To have or not to have a child in Bulgaria–The priorities of young people in one of the countries with the fastest shrinking population
To have or not to have a child in Bulgaria–The priorities of young people in one of the countries with the fastest shrinking population

Summary/Abstract: Demographic situation worldwide faces serious challenges that deserve special attention especially since the middle of the 20th century. Bulgaria is one of the European countries with the fastest shrinking population and according to some authors it is risking a “demographic death”. Data show that it is the country with the lowest total fertility rate ever recorded in peacetime in Europe. This is also the case for the East-Central European countries. This article focuses on the reasons which could encourage young people in Bulgaria to consider having children and whether they see advantages or disadvantages in not having offspring. The paper traces gender differences and aims to focus the attention on the theory of planned behavior and family planning as a valued element in addressing the demographic crisis. Sixty semi-structured interviews have been conducted for the purposes of the present paper among sixty 20- to 40-year-old men and women, who don’t have children.

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