Italy

From Gothpoodle

• Population: 36 million
• Aspects: Powerful, Fifth Wave

For Italy, much of the 21st century has been characterized by a steep decline in population. Italy’s “birth dearth” has been more severe than that of any other major European state, and among the worst in the world. In 2100 the national population is only about 60% of its 2000 total, despite significant immigration from Turkey and the Arab world.

This decline has caused severe social and economic difficulties, exacerbated by the refusal of the influential Catholic Church to sanction reproductive technology or bioroid manufacture. By the mid-2070s Italy was sunk in a deep economic recession, which in 2073 led to the collapse of the Italian government. After the most contentious elections in memory, the new government broke with the Church, repealing a large block of legislation restricting reproductive technology.

Italy is currently applying the full range of modern biotechnology to try and reverse the population decline. Meanwhile, Italian industries are making more and more use of imported robots, and a few Italian firms have themselves entered the advanced robotics industry. Relations between the Church and the Italian government continue to be stormy.