Marrying quickly and early: new proposals from deputies

Russian parliamentarians have proposed reducing the time between filing a civil registry office application and getting married by three times, and allowing people to marry as young as 16. This comes amid the authorities' desperate efforts to increase the birth rate through a variety of, sometimes absurd, measures. 

The first idea belongs to State Duma deputy from the New People party, Sardana Avksentieva. According to her According to, "Long waiting times create unnecessary complications and inconveniences for couples and also impose a bureaucratic burden on the marriage registration process." Registration should be made "more accessible and convenient." Therefore, the period between filing an application and the ceremony should be reduced from 30 to 10 days. Avksentieva sent a corresponding request to the Minister of Justice.  

Mikhail Ivanov, a deputy of the Bryansk Regional Duma and chairman of the "Orthodox Russia" movement, proposed lowering the age of marriage from 18 to 16. This is necessary due to the rising number of underage pregnancies. He explained he. 

"Today, thousands of young girls are becoming mothers, but they are unable to officially start a family, receive state support, and receive social guarantees. This is unfair and exacerbates their situation. Early marriage is <…> a question of responsibility, spiritual values, and the country's demographic future," the deputy believes.

Chairperson of the State Duma Committee on Family Affairs Nina Ostanina saidthat the proposal is in direct conflict with the interests of teenagers, who should be studying, not raising children. 

Previously, the state began to encourage teenage pregnancy by providing payments to schoolgirls who registered for pregnancy, introduced authorities of more than 10 regions. True, they started later to think, whether they did the right thing.