Russian MPs vote to prohibit movies over ‘traditional values’

(MENAFN) Russia’s lower house of parliament has passed a bill that would prohibit licenses for movies considered to discredit or reject “traditional values.” If the upper house and President Vladimir Putin approve the law, it will come into force in March 2026, according to the State Duma’s website.

In 2022, Putin endorsed a decree identifying 17 traditional values—including patriotism, dignity, and strong family—as core to Russia’s national policy, aiming to protect the country’s identity and counter what the Kremlin sees as Western moral decline.

Under the new legislation, authorities could refuse or withdraw rental certificates for films that challenge “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.” The Culture Ministry will have the power to revoke movie licenses, while the media regulator Roskomnadzor could require streaming services and social networks to remove such content within 24 hours.

Critics warn the law might even threaten beloved Soviet classics like The Irony of Fate, a popular New Year’s Eve movie that includes a plot where a woman spends the night with a stranger rather than her fiancé.

Though not explicitly about demographics, the law coincides with growing concerns about Russia’s declining birth rates. In response, lawmakers have suggested measures such as tax incentives, abortion restrictions, and opposing the “child-free” lifestyle.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova highlighted an impending fertility crisis due to fewer women of childbearing age, while Putin has called for the fertility rate to reach 2.1 within five years to reverse population decline.

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin emphasized that resolving Russia’s demographic problems requires strengthening the family unit and upholding traditional values.

In July, MP Vitaly Milonov, a vocal advocate for traditional values, proposed banning childless women from films, arguing that showing strong, independent women without children encourages Russians to postpone marriage and having children.

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