Demographics and the pension system.

"Italian demographic evolution closely resembles that of the other leading European countries, although with some distinctive features, such as a lower birth rate, more rapid population aging and fewer immigrants. Projections for the next two or three decades point to accelerating expansion of the aged population, especially of the very old, and a contraction of the working age population after the turn of the century. However, there are also unknowns involved in the demographic evolution of the aged population, turning on the speed of the decline in senile mortality in the decades to come and the possible effects on the health of the elderly population, hence on the demand for social services, considering among other things changing family patterns. There is broad agreement that the birth rate is now too low, that this could have serious long-run repercussions on relations between generations and on intergenerational transfers, and that there is room for social policy action to influence the reproductive choices of couples. This article examines several possible reproductive models and discusses the foundations for action and the potential policy contradictions."