Young people in Europe need political support to start families in countries with aging populations, a French Catholic campaigner said.<\/p>\n
While \u201cyoung people want to form lasting relationships and have children,\u201d they \u201cdon\u2019t feel safe\u201d to start families, said Antoine Renard, president of the Brussels-based Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless something is done rapidly, Europe risks a total demographic collapse<\/strong>,\u201d Renard said in an April 19 interview with Catholic News Service after the federation called on European Union governments to \u201cput the family at the center of national policies.\u201d<\/p>\n Young people are \u201coften discouraged by inadequate and individualistic policies and cultures which are hostile to the family,\u201d the federation said in an April 13 statement at the end of its spring meeting in Vienna.<\/p>\n