Europe's age structure is changing for good. Increasing life expectancy has already been reshaping the continent for decades, as have decreasing birthrates. There is no going back to “before” demographic change, as Prof. Arnstein Aassve, Chair of the Population Europe Policy Lab, keeps on reminding us. Instead, he urges policy, society and research to imagine the future, meaning: plan for demographic change.
On 2 November 2026, Prof. Aassve spoke at the “Right to Stay” event on invitation by the IE University’s “Competitiveness Hub” in Brussels (seen here with fellow panelists Heather Grabbe, Senior Fellow at Bruegel, and Catherine De Vries, Professor of Political Science at IE University, as well as moderator Odysseas Konstantinakos).
Arguably, one of the most tangible effects of demographic change has been the depopulation of rural areas, especially in Southern and South East Europe. What’s more, rural-to-urban migration can be expected to increasingly challenge communities all across Europe in the decades to come.
Again, there is no returning to “before” this megatrend. However, this analysis should not be equated to abandoning Europe's declining regions. Instead, policy should empower individuals who wish to keep living in their region of residence, and who feel under pressure to leave, due to a lack of jobs, education, services, or community feeling.
Many thanks to the organisers for the invitation, and the discussions.
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