Moscow — Russian lawmakers on Tuesday passed controversial legislation banning "propaganda" that urges people to opt against having children, the latest measure targeting what Moscow depicts as Western liberal ideas. Facing an ageing population and low ...

Russian MPs on Tuesday passed in the final third reading controversial legislation banning "propaganda" of choosing not to have children, the latest measure targeting what Moscow depicts as Western liberal ideas.

Russia's lower house of parliament voted unanimously on Tuesday to ban what authorities cast as pernicious propaganda for a child-free way of life, hoping to boost a faltering birth rate. Official data released in September put the birth rate at its lowest in a quarter of a century while mortality rates are up as Moscow's war in Ukraine rages on.

The ban on "child-free propaganda" would affect all "destructive content" seemingly promoting the idea in media, advertising or online.

Volodin emphasized that the legislation aims to create a unified legal framework for “protecting children, family, and traditional values.” This move aligns with similar laws that Russia has enacted against LGBTQ+ “propaganda.