She and Pope Francis, as well as a number of ministers and experts, held an extraordinary crisis conference the other day on the low birth rate. At the same time, people demonstrated by filling the square in front of the Parliament in Rome with empty prams.
"Italian women today are forced to choose between family and work. That has to change," the prime minister told the large media crowd.
The stories of women in Italian everyday life prove her right.
"When I told my boss I was pregnant, he urged me to have an abortion," says Valeria Tusino.
"Children are seen as a woman's responsibility"
She is 29 years old, works as a waitress and has a son Iago, three years old, together with her husband Valerio. Valeria has struggled to find a new job since becoming a mother.
"At all job interviews, they ask me if I want more children and what I do if my son gets sick. Children are seen entirely as the responsibility of women here. No one expects anything from the fathers," says Valeria as she helps Iago eat her pizza and set the table for dessert.
Italy's population is ageing with over 14 million people over the age of 65.
Concern about labour shortages and who will take care of and provide for all the country's elderly is growing. If this trend is not reversed, the EU's third largest country is expected to decline by 11 million inhabitants by 2070, from today's 59 million inhabitants. It has already declined from just over 60 million inhabitants.
Planned tax incentives
The government is now planning for tax relief of over SEK 100,000 a year, per child, for families who have more than one child. Expanded childcare is a different and stricter legislation against discriminatory employers.
Valerio and Valeria are prepared to have a sibling for Iago.
"It's good if politicians finally do something. And we want another child, despite all the problems. We will try," says Valeria.
Husband Valerio agrees:
"When you see your child smiling at you, you forget all the problems.