Ida Ismail
Albanian families are facing a profound social, economic and demographic transformation, which is also clearly reflected in official marriage and divorce statistics. The latest report for 2024 shows a worrying picture: 25 divorces per 100 marriages.
Official INSTAT data show that last year there were 16.120 marriages, a 7.7% decrease compared to 2023, while divorces were 4.100 or 65 fewer than in 2023. Although the 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 5 years. Many couples face great economic difficulties: Low wages, high rents and the inability to buy housing. These conditions postpone marriage to a later age or make the couple not marry at all.
The law and statistics show that women are the ones who initiate most divorce proceedings. Women's higher participation in the labor market and financial autonomy have changed the dynamics within the couple. Women are more likely to leave a relationship that is not working, without feeling forced to stay for economic reasons.
Lawyer Alban Duraj explains that "divorces in our country have increased significantly and this should concern institutions. The lack of institutional support for maintaining family stability is worrying."
The need for legal reforms
A bill aimed at simplifying divorces by agreement has been in the Assembly since March 2025, but has not yet been passed. This amendment would allow an agreement signed before a mediator or notary to have legal value as an executive title, avoiding lengthy court proceedings.
Duraj emphasizes that "amending the Code of Civil Procedure and the Family Code is a necessity. In particular, in cases where the marriage is resolved by agreement, the acts signed by the mediator must be immediately registered in the civil registry, without the need for court intervention for an execution order."
It proposes immediate interventions in strengthening family counseling and psychological support; social and economic policies for low-income families, and awareness-raising campaigns on sharing responsibilities and communication within couples.
With the decline in marriages, the country is moving towards a cycle of fewer births, an older population and fewer human resources for economic development. In the first half of 2025, births fell by 6.5% and the natural increase is heading towards zero. In some cities, the contraction was higher than 35%.
Albania is one of the few countries in Europe that does not have financial aid packages or relief measures for young families. As housing prices, rents and educational Services are rising, more and more young people are choosing to leave the country in search of a better life.
Divorce rates and the decline in marriages are not just statistics, but are a sign of a deep crisis within the Albanian family. Without urgent intervention, social policies and legal reform, the trend of increasing divorces is expected to deepen further, leaving the Albanian family in an increasingly unstable situation. /acqj.al
