On October 29, 2025, the Youth Research Institute hosted Ms. Barbara Socha, the Polish Government Plenipotentiary for Demographic Policy, former Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy, and founder of the Generations Institute, as a guest speaker at its conference entitled Carry the Fire – Or Why Do We Need Children.
Prior to the event, Ms. Socha held a meeting with Ms. Zsófia Koncz, State Secretary for Families at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation; Ms. Georgina Kiss-Kozma, Deputy Director of the Youth Research Institute; and Mr. Gergely Réti, Youth Policy Expert at the Institute. The conference commenced at 1 p.m. at the Budapest headquarters of Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC).
The proceedings opened with a presentation by Ms. Socha, who shared data from recent surveys on the fertility and family-formation prospects of Polish youth. She addressed several concerning trends, including the pronounced divergence in attitudes toward politics, higher education, and urban living between young men and women.
Her presentation was followed by a roundtable discussion featuring Mr. József Árpád Mészáros, Strategic Vice President of the Maria Kopp Institute for Demography and Families; Mr. Attila Beneda, Deputy State Secretary for Families at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation; and Ms. Georgina Kiss-Kozma, Deputy Director of the Youth Research Institute. The participants reflected on how Europe’s impending demographic crisis might be mitigated through more responsive family policies, shifts in social attitudes, and an enhanced recognition of the societal value of motherhood, among other approaches.
Mr. Beneda emphasised that although Hungary’s family support system is unique in Europe, economic assistance alone cannot reverse demographic decline without a fundamental change in how society perceives and values families. Ms. Kiss-Kozma discussed the multiple causes behind Europe’s ageing population and declining fertility rates, as well as the challenges women face in balancing career and family responsibilities. Mr. Mészáros highlighted differences between Western and Central European responses to demographic challenges, underlining the importance of whether a society regards the individual or the family as its fundamental unit. Ms. Socha also addressed the growing prevalence of mental health issues among young people in Poland, noting their detrimental impact on family formation intentions.
Questions from the audience introduced additional thought-provoking topics, including the presence of direct and indirect anti-family narratives in TikTok content, and the trend among young couples in the United States to cohabit for increasingly long periods without marrying or having children.
Although the issues discussed were serious and their implications far-reaching, the panel concluded on an optimistic note, with consensus among the speakers on the importance of supporting young people in making informed life choices and in building healthy, dynamic families capable of revitalising both local communities and national societies.
