Frankrijk in 2050 de dichtst bevolkte EU-lidstaat (en)

Newly released figures suggest France could become the most populous country among the current EU member states by the middle of the century.

The French government presented the revised forecasts to parliament on Thursday (12 May), suggesting there would be 75 million people in the country by 2050, about 11 million up on the current number.

If this turns out to be the case, France would overtake Germany whose population is forecast to fall from 82 million to 72 million over the same period, media report.

Most west and east EU member states are also predicted to see a drop in their populations.

Three quarters of the predicted poulation growth is attributed to a high birth rate and increased longevity, while just one-quarter is set to be caused by immigration.

However, demographers also took future EU enlargement into consideration within their predictions.

The birth rate in France is currently around 1.85 children for every woman of child-bearing age, compared to 1.79 in the UK and significantly less in Germany (1.3), Italy (1.23) and Spain (1.1), according to the Independent.

The only EU country to match France is Ireland. However, Turkey, as a prospective EU newcomer, could represent a far bigger challenge for Paris, with its current population standing at 73 million.

The number of Turks is predicted to grow to around 100 million by 2050, according to UN figures.

France currently spends 4.5 per cent of its GDP on family-friendly policies, far more than other EU countries.

Some papers suggest that - as with almost any issue these days - the positive news could have an impact on the mood before the French referendum on the EU constitution.

Some French citizens are concerened about the diminishing influence of their country in the union under the draft constitution's decision-making procedures, whereas an increased number of people promises more power under the new rules.