Albanian families are going through a strong transitional period due to the phenomena of migration, poverty, and high living costs that are affecting the decrease in marriages and, on the other hand, divorces have an increasing trend.
Official INSTAT data show that last year there were 16,120 marriages, a decrease of -7.7% compared to 2023, while divorces were 4,100 or 65 fewer than in 2023.
Although the absolute number of divorces fluctuates, their ratio per 100 marriages has increased significantly. In 2021, for every 100 marriages there were only 15.8 divorces, while in 2024 this ratio reaches about 25 divorces per 100 marriages, the highest level in the last five years.
Marriages are increasingly declining due to factors related to immigration and the decline in the youth population, which reduces the population base that is getting married.
Economic pressure has become a decisive factor in both non-marriage and divorce. Young people face low wages, high rents, unaffordable apartments to buy and serious difficulties in creating stable conditions for a family. As a result, marriage is postponed or avoided altogether. On the other hand, divorces are increasing due to financial difficulties that also cause tensions within families.
Many couples live apart due to economic migration, which often leads to the dissolution of marriage or its non-consummation. Emigration and the decline in birth rates have caused the base of the young population within the country to shrink.
Mentalities are also changing. Young people are focusing more on careers and financial independence, postponing marriage until a later age or preferring cohabitation without formalization.
On the other hand, higher labor market participation and independent incomes give women more autonomy, making them less dependent on marriage as an economic mechanism. At the same time, this also increases the willingness to divorce when the relationship does not work out, avoiding the sacrifices that were once considered necessary to preserve the family.
Increasingly, especially in urban areas, stress is higher. The fast pace of life and the lack of social support are increasing pressures within the family. As social norms have been liberalized, the stigma against divorce has weakened significantly. Today, divorce is seen as an acceptable solution and not as a failure, which makes it easier to make this decision./ Monitor
