The Facts
On Friday, Pope Francis urged young Italians to forgo "selfish, egotistical" decisions and have larger families as Italy faces its greatest population crisis due to a record low birth rate.
"Let us not resign ourselves to sterile dullness and pessimism," Francis said, calling Italians to have more children and fewer pets to "plant the future" with hope.
The Spin
Narrative A
Italy's plummeting birth rate is a national emergency, which could impoverish the country already beset by high levels of public debt. To save the Eurozone's third-largest country from collapse, its government must reduce part-time contracts, help young couples get mortgages, and increase access to subsidized nurseries.
Narrative B
There's nothing selfish about having pets instead of children. From uncertainty about jobs and inadequate childcare support systems, the constraints are real. Italy is a country of empty cribs because of its deeply patriarchal society, which makes it harder for women to juggle work and family life and forces them to choose between their careers and motherhood.
