Part 3/9:
Although there was a short-lived rebound in 2023, where 7.68 million pairs married, this was largely attributed to individuals eager to marry post-lockdown. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm for marriage proved fleeting. By 2024, the annual number dropped to 6.11 million, marking a staggering 20.4% decline—the steepest in peacetime history. Such a sharp decrease raises concerns that historians may one day interpret this time as a period of catastrophe, comparable to natural disasters or socio-political upheavals.