russian Officials Looking for a Scapegoat for the Failure of Their Demographic Policy

russia is trying to overcome its deepest demographic crisis in decades using the kremlin’s usual method: rolling out a plan from the top and appointing implementers from the bottom.

prime minister of the rf mikhail mishustin, at a meeting with federation council chair valentina matviyenko, called demographics a government priority. matviyenko, who began her career as a komsomol functionary back in soviet times, reacted quickly and has already prepared her own proposals.

The idea is simple: introduce a demographic KPI for state-owned corporations. They propose that this metric be factored into directives for companies, during the selection of projects for lending, and when providing support through development institutions. In fact, officials with soviet-era experience are trying to shift the blame for the failure of demographic policy onto the business sector.

matvienko’s proposals make no mention of the real reasons for the declining birth rate: the lack of security in the country, low incomes, unaffordability of housing, and problems with healthcare. Instead, they want to shift the burden of addressing the birth rate onto the enterprises themselves, which will be held accountable for the results to the kremlin and to putin personally.

Separately, matvienko proposes involving russian marketplaces. The plan is to require them – through a combination of voluntary and mandatory measures – to offer discounts to families with many children. Instead of lowering housing prices and mortgage rates, officials are once again looking for a convenient scapegoat and appointing company directors to also serve as heads of civil registry offices, maternity hospitals, and other relevant institutions. The main task of these individuals will not be to improve the situation, but to prepare reports based on the new metrics.

As a result, the demographic KPI is unlikely to affect russia’s birth rate. Instead, it is likely to become yet another bureaucratic burden for russian businesses.