Greece’s demographic decline is no longer confined to mountain villages, remote regions and islands. Municipalities in densely populated parts of Athens are now introducing their own incentives for families as they confront a sharp fall in local birth numbers. Cash payments for newborns, exemptions from municipal fees and free access to childcare and other local services are becoming part of the policy response, as local authorities look for ways to ease some of the financial pressures facing young families.
One of the latest municipalities to act is Elliniko-Argyroupoli, in southern Athens, which has announced a package of six measures for residents who are also registered with the municipality. The initiative follows a steep decline in births in the area. According to Mayor Ioannis Konstantatos, the number fell from about 500 in 2014 to 250 in 2025, a drop of roughly 50% in little more than a decade.
Konstantatos said the change had become increasingly visible in schools, nurseries and public spaces. “Going to school opening ceremonies, I could see the number of first-grade pupils shrinking year after year, while there were fewer children in nurseries and daycare centers,” he told TA NEA. “We were building new playgrounds and seeing fewer and fewer children playing in them.”
The figures prompted the municipality to draw up a broader support program that will take effect from Jan. 1, 2027. Families will be eligible for a payment of between €1,000 and €3,000 for each new birth, depending on income. They will also be exempt from municipal fees and receive free access to municipal nurseries and daycare centers. The package also includes free participation in municipal creative activities, cultural and sports programs, as well as a basic package of baby supplies.
Konstantatos said the measures were intended both for couples having their first child and for families considering having another. “This is what we can do from the municipality’s side, and we will do it,” he said, adding that he hoped the initiative would form part of a broader national response to the demographic challenge.
Other Athens municipalities follow similar path
The municipality of Elliniko-Argyroupoli is not the only one. The municipality of Iraklio in northern Athens has offered a one-off €1,000 payment since 2020 to eligible families having their first child, subject to income criteria. Kallithea, south of central Athens, has also introduced a €1,000 payment for each new child following a municipal council decision on Aug. 31. The measure had originally been launched in 2024, but its implementation was delayed by administrative and bureaucratic obstacles.
Under Greece’s new Local Government Code, municipalities are allowed to provide one-off payments of as much as €3,000 per child. Kallithea’s payment will apply retroactively to children born from July 1, 2024, provided families meet a set of eligibility requirements. Applicants must have been registered residents of Kallithea for at least two years. They must either be Greek citizens or have paid taxes in Greece for at least 12 years before the year in which the child was born. The annual household income ceiling is €27,000, falling to €19,000 for single-parent families. The threshold rises by €1,000 for each additional child.
Source: TA NEA
