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Mr Orban said that "for the West", the answer to falling birth rates in Europe was immigration: "For every missing child, there should be one coming in and then the numbers will be fine. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47192612
In this sentence, Is "missing child" used literally('The child who goes away or is taken away somewhere where nobody can find them') or as figurative expression?
The context suggests that "missing child" does not mean a child that has gone away.
The context is "Low birth rates in European countries" This means that fewer children are being born. In the past a family might have 3 children. Now they only have 1 or 2. The children who would have been born if the birth rate was higher are the "missing children"
It implies there is a correct birth rate, and the current birth rate is too low. But if there is high enough immigration this isn't a problem.
