Croatia is moving forward with a major legislative initiative aimed at tackling long standing population decline and encouraging the return of its diaspora. The government has established a Scientific Council to help draft a new Law on Demographic Renewal, signaling a coordinated national effort to address falling birth rates, regional depopulation and emigration trends that have shaped the country for years.
The initiative, led by the Government of Croatia through the Ministry of Demography and Immigration, brings together around 40 experts from academia and research institutions, including the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The council will provide data driven analysis and policy proposals designed to create a unified demographic strategy across national, regional and local government levels. Officials want the new law to make sure population trends are taken into account when planning the country’s economy, social programs and regional development, showing how serious and urgent the issue has become.
A key focus will be strengthening family support and pro natal policies while encouraging Croatians living abroad to return. Particular attention is being given to regions such as Slavonia, Lika, Banovina and the Dalmatian hinterland, which have faced heavy outmigration and population loss in recent decades. Officials hope to attract not only citizens who moved to countries like Germany and Ireland, but also descendants of Croatian emigrants from regions including South America.
Minister Ivan Šipić described the initiative as a long term national priority that must surpass political divisions, emphasizing the need for sustainable and knowledge based solutions. Academic voices, including Davor Miličić, echoed this message, stressing that reversing demographic decline will require a nationwide effort involving multiple sectors of society. The government also pointed to early positive indicators, noting a slight improvement in birth figures in early 2026 and highlighting €528 million invested in demographic measures in 2025 as part of broader efforts to support families and population growth.
The Scientific Council will work through specialised committees, with its first roundtable scheduled for June. If the timeline holds, the draft legislation could be completed before the end of the year and then move into parliamentary procedure. Croatia’s push reflects wider European concerns over ageing populations and labour shortages, as many countries increasingly turn to family support, migration incentives and diaspora engagement to stabilise their demographic future. Whether the new law can produce lasting change remains to be seen, but it marks one of the country’s most comprehensive attempts yet to reverse its population decline.
