Valeriu Sainsus
On International Family Day, which is celebrated on May 15, political and expert discourse focused on finding a way out of the demographic crisis.
The opposition proposes to revive the title of “Heroine Mother”. The government is betting on expanding the network of nurseries and record payments at the birth of a child. Experts, on the other hand, name a concrete benchmark: for the survival of the nation it is necessary to switch to the model of a family raising at least two children.
Bring back the “Heroine Mother” program
On Friday, May 15, the PSRM parliamentary faction came out with a number of social initiatives. For instance, it proposes to return the state title “Mother Heroine” for women who have raised seven or more children. In addition to the honorary status, a package of financial benefits is proposed to emphasize the special importance of such maternal work for the country.
In addition to supporting large families, attention is also paid to modern challenges. For example, the proposal to lower the retirement age to 57 for single mothers recognizes the double burden borne by women raising children without a partner. And initiatives to introduce ‘cultural vouchers’ for young families and state certificates for IVF treatment aim to make parenthood more accessible and socially inclusive.
Pragmatism today: what the government is already doing
On the other hand, representatives of the ruling party (PAS) are betting on creating a working infrastructure “here and now”.
MP Victoria Belous stressed earlier in a TV program that modern mothers face different economic realities than their predecessors, and the role of the state is to minimize risks: “And I believe that here no one can make claims against the PAS government. This needs to be recognized and said.”
Today, the social package for families looks something like this:
- new eligibility options for monthly childcare allowance;
- extended period for applying for paternity leave;
- mini nurseries for children up to 3 years of age (budget 2026 provides for the creation of 2,000 places);
- personal assistants for children with severe disabilities;
- one-off financial support for recipients of state social benefits;
- salary supplement for social assistance workers;
- monthly allowance for child care up to 2 years old (1000 lei);
- monthly support for families with twins (and more children) up to 3 years old (500 lei);
- lump-sum allowance at child birth (2026): 21,886 lei per child;
- support allowance for families with children
- monthly allowance for children in social services;
- adoption / guardianship support: adoption allowance – 60% of the average monthly insured income, limit – up to 5 average wages in the economy.
Two children on average for demographic balance
Despite the expansion of benefits, demographer Valeriu Sainsus warns: demographic trends often outpace state responses.
“Families are being created at an increasingly later age. Economic instability reduces the willingness of young people to formally start a family.
Additionally, it is connected with the difficulties of integration of young people in the labor market. The needs of young families in social policy (nurseries, kindergartens, schools) are superficially taken into account. Until the demographic policy will not compensate the costs of childbirth and minimum provision of mother and child, it is difficult to talk about the formation of reproductive behavior of families in the conditions of market economy and instability in which they are.
Family policy is the main instrument of demographic recovery. Demographic trends over time outpace responses,” Sainzus said.
He believes it is rational to return to a total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.2 children for a sustainable demographic balance. This would mean that, on average, each family has two children. This should be the short to medium term goal.
“Strengthening the family should be done through policies at two levels: economic – compensating families for the loss of income when they have children, and social – through services targeting families with children.
The state must prioritize social and economic protection for families who have children. It is important to return to the formation of responsibility. Paternity leave for childcare has not become a mass practice in Moldovan families. And old traditional stereotypes indirectly reduce the stability of families over time. The joint responsibility of both parents for raising children could have a significant demographic effect and contribute to the sustainable reproduction of the population,” Valeriu Sainsus concluded.
