Croatia with lowest divorce rates in Europe

Recent data on marriage and divorce rates in the European Union (EU) released this week by Eurostat has painted a nuanced picture of shifting societal dynamics.

In 2022, approximately 1.9 million marriages and an estimated 0.6 million divorces occurred across EU member states. This translates to a crude marriage rate of 4.2 marriages per 1,000 persons and a crude divorce rate of 1.6 divorces per 1,000 persons.

Since 1964, the crude marriage rate in the EU has undergone a significant decline of nearly 50%. However, this downward trajectory has been punctuated by intermittent peaks, with notable increases in 1989, 2000, 2007, and 2018.

“The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a novel dynamic, causing a substantial drop in the crude marriage rate in 2020, followed by a resurgence in 2021 and 2022,” Eurostat said.

Conversely, the crude divorce rate has exhibited a contrasting trend, essentially doubling since 1964. Despite minor fluctuations, such as a slight decline after the onset of the pandemic, divorce rates have remained relatively stable in recent years. Factors contributing to this increase include the legalisation of divorce in several EU member states over the past decades.

Croatia stands out among EU countries with one of the lowest crude divorce rates, alongside Malta, Slovenia, and Romania.

Conversely, Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden reported the highest divorce rates. Interestingly, while the pandemic influenced marriage rates, its impact on divorce rates was less pronounced, with most member states experiencing only minor fluctuations.

Overall, the data reflects broader societal shifts, including a decline in the number of marriages per 1,000 persons over recent decades, accompanied by an increase in divorces. However, these trends appear to have slowed in recent years.

In 2022, there were 1.6 divorces for every 1 000 people in the EU.💔

Highest in:
🇱🇻Latvia (2.9 divorces per 1 000 people)
🇱🇹Lithuania (2.6)
🇸🇪Sweden (2.1)

Lowest:
🇲🇹Malta (0.9)
🇸🇮Slovenia (1.0)
🇭🇷Croatia & 🇷🇴Romania (both 1.2)

What about your country?👉https://t.co/H1rSPTh0pI pic.twitter.com/je3yzHKHUu

— EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) April 20, 2024

Additionally, there has been an observed rise in the proportion of children born to unmarried couples, highlighting evolving family structures across Europe.

Croatia’s position among the countries with the lowest divorce rates underscores the complexity of factors influencing marital stability within different cultural contexts. As societal norms continue to evolve, understanding the drivers behind these trends remains crucial for policymakers and researchers alike.

Summarise this and write a short article about divorce rates in Europe which sees Croatia among the lowest.

Croatia also has the lowest share of single-parent households in the EU with just 5% of single-parent households among all households with children.