In Pagliara dei Marsi, an ancient rural village on the slopes of Mount Girifalco in Italy’s Abruzzo region, cats vastly outnumber people. Now there’s one more person on the human side. The first child born in the tiny village in the last 30 years brings the population to roughly 20. The christening of Lara Bussi at the church opposite her home was attended by the entire community — including the cats — and she is now the main tourist attraction. Lara’s arrival is a symbol of hope, but also a sobering reminder of Italy’s worsening demographic crisis. In 2024, births in the country reached a historic low of 369,944, continuing a 16-year negative trend. Reasons for the decline include job insecurity, the rise in male infertility, and an increasing number of people simply choosing not to have children. Cinzia and Paolo Bussi benefited from a €1,000 ($1,178) “baby bonus” after Lara’s birth — a one-time payment for each child born or adopted since January 2025 as part of the government’s pledge to tackle the dwindling population. The couple also receives a €370 ($436) monthly child benefit payment. The novelty of having a baby in the village has made Lara the main tourist attraction, at least for now. “People who didn’t even know Pagliara dei Marsi existed have come, only because they had heard about Lara,” said Cinzia. “At just nine months old, she’s famous.”
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| Paolo (56) and Lara |
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| Cinzia (42) and Lara |
