Russia's declining marriage rates defy Kremlin's family push

The Moscow Times reports on the declining trend in forming the basic social unit in the Russian Federation. Citizens do not want to take vows or exchange rings with their chosen partners in front of an official.

Since 2014, the number of marriages in Russia has been steadily decreasing, possibly due to the annexation of Crimea and the imposition of Western sanctions, which have led to a decline in real incomes.

The portal notes that from 2006 to 2013, when reliable statistics became available, between 1.1 and 1.3 million marriages were conducted annually. In 2016, this number fell to 985,000.

In the past year, only 945,000 couples took marriage vows. This trend completely contradicts the Kremlin's policy programme.

A decline in the number of births has also been observed, with figures in 2023 a third less than in 2014. Meanwhile, the expectations of those in power are entirely different.

At the end of last year, Vladimir Putin appealed to citizens to form families with 7–8 children, intending to return consciously to the traditions of ancient Rus.

The dictator stated that having large families should become Russians' norm and way of life. In January, Putin expanded his appeal, highlighting the necessity of starting families at the youngest possible age. In June, he emphasised that nothing is more important for the state than strengthening the family.

In response to concerns about a potential population decline to levels recorded at the end of the 19th century, the Kremlin launched a national project called "Demography." Through significant investments, the authorities hope that the fertility rate will increase to 1.6 children per woman by 2030.