Interesting article.

Regarding marriage: in my eyes, over here (Estonia) it’s a formality, not a commitment. Most children are born to unmarried couples. Legal benefits are few. Marriage might be important if partners have different citizenship. The obligation and right to care for their children comes independently of marriage. The chance to set up shared property rights is not an exclusive feature of marriage - civil partnership gives the same possibility.

So I wouldn’t focus on the formal, but the actual.

The actual seems to be that people seem to experience increased difficulty with finding relationships. Perhaps also maintaining them.

Part of this could be due to people having other priorities. When you have other priorities and searching for relationships would consume your limited reserves of time and patience, you save yourself from frustration and don’t look.

Part of this could be due to women being more independent. When you are independent and stumble on a partner whom you get disillusioned with, you leave them and won’t tolerate a frustrating relationship. The dynamic balance between people in relationships and people who are single might be shifted as a result of increased independence.

Part of this could be due to women and men being attracted to different world views, making them less compatible. Even being attracted to different hobbies, and having no common hobbies, can decrease the chances of finding someone. If society directs men and women to different trails in life, and these don’t cross often, could it result in reduced chances of relationships?

Part of this could be due to dating on the Internet. Ways of finding and evaluating potential partners have shifted. The number of relationships starting in real life has probably decreased, and the number starting on dating apps has probably increased. It seems more convenient and safer like that… but everyone knows: on the Internet, you can leave false appearances easier. So perhaps people spend their time breaking through proverbial walls with their heads, because they aren’t provided tools to find the right person. Dating apps, after all, are serving their shareholders first, and their goal is to earn money, not help people.

…but I’m not a sociologist, and not up-to-date on research. So the above are not facts, but wild guesses.