On Tuesday, November 12, Russian MPs voted in favor of legislation banning the promotion of a child-free lifestyle. This measure, which responds to a demographic crisis aggravated by the war in Ukraine, aims to strengthen the defense of “ traditional values » dear to the Kremlin.
Severe fines for promoters of the child-free lifestyle
Under this new legislation, individuals who encourage a child-free lifestyle through the media, films or advertisements risk severe fines. Sanctions vary depending on the nature of the offenses: a fine of up to 400,000 rubles (or around 4,000 euros) for individuals, and up to 800,000 rubles (8,000 euros) for civil servants. Companies responsible for such promotions could face fines of up to 5 million rubles (nearly 47,000 euros). Nina Ostanina, chairwoman of the Duma family committee, explained that the legislation aims to “ protect our young people from unnecessary ideologies » which, according to her, threaten the foundations of Russian society.
A response to the persistent demographic crisis in Russia
Beyond the defense of traditional values, this law seeks to respond to the deep demographic crisis that Russia has been going through since the Soviet era. Despite the adoption of numerous pronatalist policies over the years, they have not been able to stem a persistent demographic decline. The Kremlin has also described the current situation as “ catastrophic » for the future of the country. In 2023, the fertility rate in Russia was 1.41 children per woman, a figure well below the threshold needed to stabilize the population, according to data from Rosstat, the Russian statistical agency.
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