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Ah, love... Butterflies in the stomach, promises of eternity, romantic playlists on Spotify. And then, one day: divorce papers. Because yes, not all fairy tales end with "they lived happily ever after and had many children." Some end with "they lived separately and paid alimony." So, how many marriages really end in divorce? Hold on to your wedding ring (or not), we'll tell you everything.
Let's not beat around the bush: in France, approximately 45% of marriages end in divorce. That's a huge number, right? This means that almost one in two couples ends up saying, "Well, no thanks." And yet, while a bride-to-be carefully chooses her wedding dress , the reality is often different after the vows are exchanged. If you're at a wedding this weekend, have fun counting the couples in the room. Statistically, half won't make it.
But be careful, this number is not a curse. Just because you get married doesn't mean you're doomed to divorce. It's just that sometimes people change, love fades, or someone always leaves their dirty socks lying around. In short, life.
Life as a couple is like a gym membership: on paper, it looks great. But in real life, it requires effort. And sometimes, we no longer have the desire or the motivation.
In the past, we stayed married "for better or for worse," often especially for the worst. Today, we dare to say stop more easily. Mentalities have changed: we value personal happiness . Staying in an unhappy relationship just because "it's not right to divorce" is not for us.
A key point: Women today are more financially independent . This means they no longer need to stay in a marriage out of obligation. They can choose to leave if the relationship no longer works for them. And frankly, that's a good thing.
Between dating apps, hectic jobs, and ever-increasing expectations... modern life doesn't leave much room for relationships. We want everything, right now, including a perfect relationship. But spoiler: the perfect relationship doesn't exist . And instead of working on it, some prefer to move on to the "next one."
We all have that friend who got married at 23, convinced they'd found "the one" and even wore a short wedding dress during the ceremony, thinking it was a modern choice. And now they're sending you stories from their Tinder nights. It's no coincidence: the younger you get married, the more likely you are to get divorced.
Getting married too early is a bit like buying a house without visiting the bathroom. You don't really know what you're getting into. Before the age of 25, we're often still building our lives. And it's no easier when you're married.
At 30, you're more aware of your expectations, your limits, and above all... your problems. You're more likely to build a solid relationship and compromise without blowing up every time you disagree on Sunday night's movie.
Did you think divorces only happen after 30 years of living together, when the kids are grown and you have nothing left to say to each other? Wrong.
According to INSEE figures, the average length of a marriage before divorce is around 13 years. Does that seem like a long time? Not so long when you consider that we promised each other "until death do us part," a bit like choosing a simple wedding dress : it seems perfect at first. In the end, death is sometimes replaced by an incompatibility over how to cook pasta.
The first few years are often decisive. That's when you discover each other's true habits: snoring, the habit of commenting on everything in front of the TV, or even that incomprehensible obsession with organizing Tupperware. And sometimes, it's a lot.
Let's face it: divorce doesn't have to be a tragedy. Sometimes it's even the best decision a couple can make.
Divorce can be a second chance , a fresh start. We find ourselves, we breathe, we finally make room on the couch. It's time to take that solo trip, sign up for a pottery class, or never watch Koh-Lanta again if we're sick of it.
"We stay together for the children." Yes, but be careful. Unhappy parents together don't make happier children. Sometimes, a divorce can create a healthier climate for everyone. It's not the separation that hurts, it's the daily cold war. Like a country wedding dress that seems perfect on the surface but, over time, becomes heavy and uncomfortable, some relationship situations may seem ideal at first, but end up becoming an unbearable burden.
We're not alone in this! France is one of the countries where divorce rates are high, but others are beating us hands down.
Portugal , Belgium , and the Czech Republic all have divorce rates above 60%. Even the United States, long the leader, is now lagging behind. This just goes to show that the myth of the American dream doesn't necessarily hold water when it comes to marriage.
In other countries, such as Italy or Ireland, the rates are lower. But this is mainly due to cultural and religious factors that slow down divorce. This doesn't mean that couples are happier, just that they divorce less easily.
Marriages are evolving, and so are attitudes. So, what does the future hold for official breakups?
We're already seeing it: people are getting married later, after living together, sometimes after having children. Marriage is becoming a chosen step, not a necessary one, where details like choosing a lace wedding dress symbolize the personalization of this commitment. And this could lower divorce rates in the long run.
Civil partnerships, cohabitation, common-law unions... today, we're spoiled for choice. Marriage is no longer the only way to officially love. Fewer marriages? Perhaps. But also, potentially, fewer divorces by definition.
Ah, Tinder, Meetic, Bumble… we look for love there, sometimes we find a pizza and an awkward conversation. And yet, these apps have a real impact on couples' lives.
Thanks to apps, we meet people we would never have met in real life. It's magical. But it also creates couples who don't always have the solid foundation of true mutual knowledge . The result? More unstable unions.
Swipe right, left, again, again... What if the next profile was even more perfect? This reflex pushes us to think there's always better out there. And in a relationship, this doubt can be destructive.
Spoiler: There's no magic formula. But certain ingredients seem to work well.
Talk. Even when you don't feel like it. Even when you think the other person "should guess." No, they don't. You have to say what you feel, what you want, what you no longer want. Even if it's to say, "Stop chewing so loudly."
Your partner will never be perfect. And neither will you. Learning to live with each other's flaws is also what true love is all about. (Well, unless their flaw is loudly eating chips at 11 p.m., then we get it.) See the divorce statistics here .
Yes, three times yes! Even if the numbers can be scary, marriage remains a beautiful commitment. It's not a guarantee, but it's a bet on the future. And like all bets, it may or may not succeed. What matters is to dare, to love each other sincerely... and to keep a little humor, even when things are rocky.
So, how many marriages end in divorce? About half. But that also means half stick it out. What if that's you?