Dear Editor,

When the state gets involved in family matters, some feel a certain embarrassment and suspicion since “home” is considered a great sanctuary of one’s personal privacy. However, there are countries which traditionally provide support and incentives for the family, such as France, which is at the forefront of overall European births, according to a report of the French Institute of Public Opinion (Ifop), www.aceprensa.com.

Against a growing number of divorces, politicians are forced to promote marital stability as a means of impacting children’s lives and society at large. The two principal French political parties agree on what the priorities are, but differ on the solutions. According to the INSEE, the French statistical institute, single-parent families with a high percentage of single mothers are now reaching 19 per cent; its poverty rate reaches 46.2 per cent, versus seven per cent for the rest of the French population, www.insee.fr.

In order to encourage long-lasting marriages, a state must prioritise the institution of marriage itself, the introduction of new tax benefits for newlyweds, the promotion of an aid policy which favours stable conjugal unions, and the establishment of premarital courses that help build a long-lasting conjugal co-existence.

A new survey carried out by Ifop for the French newspaper La Croix, shows that 77 per cent out of the sample survey – young people between 25 and 34 years – aspire to build and maintain a family with the same partner, www.la-croix.com.

According to the sample, below are some of the measures that could help strengthen the institution of marriage: a global change in mentalities (33 per cent); external help to solve problems (28 per cent); housing assistance and reconciliation between family and work (25 per cent); effective services for the education of children (17 per cent); revaluation of the institution of marriage (15 per cent); and for the media to portray the image of happiness in family life (12 per cent).

There seems to be a certain principle that brings an advantage to society, and that is due to the stability that the institution of marriage brings. The question comes down to how can the incentives that help a family last over time be improved? How can a family overcome the obstacles encountered through co-existence?

Clemente Ferrer

Madrid, Spain

clementeferrer3@gmail.com