Family remains a strong influence in France society. Family is the backbone of French identity and community life, although these days couples marry later and wait longer to have children. This is somewhat a similar problem Singapore is facing, low birth rate.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/14/us-france-demographics-idUSBREA0D0X720140114
http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=fr&v=25
Usually, the more industrialized the country, the lower the birthrate. There are many reasons for this. It’s a given, that in industrialized countries, such as France, better health care and education are available. This is also comparative in Singapore where people delay starting families until they complete their education and start a career.
As there are more opportunities for women in the workplace, they would tend to have fewer children so as to concentrate on their careers more. Furthermore, a reduction in the need for workers, especially in labour intensive fields, like construction and farming also indirectly meant that there is no need to have more children to help with the labour intensive job.
Efforts have been made by the French government to help boost the birth rate. Similarly, in Singapore, France are paying mothers to give birth to more babies to reach the replacement level. Mothers may get €1,000 a month to have third child and this is hope that the mothers will be attracted by this incentive and give birth to more babies as a result.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/22/france.jonhenley1
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