LDPR Draft Law Seeks Citizenship-Linked Maternity Support
A draft bill from deputies of the LDPR faction in Russia’s State Duma was submitted to the government. The proposal ties eligibility for maternity capital to citizenship held at birth or adoption, affecting those who possess a Russian passport at the moment a child is born. The measure would also adjust state support related to birth and adoption by incorporating citizenship requirements, as reported by TASS.
Under the current framework, financial support for a child with Russian citizenship is available to all Russians, regardless of where they live. The Liberal Democratic Party proposes amending the clause so that the right to maternity capital arises for children born or adopted by individuals who already had Russian citizenship at birth, with no regard to residence. This would broaden access to the program for families tied to Russian citizenship from inception, not just those physically residing inside the country.
Yaroslav Nilov, who serves as the deputy leader of the LDPR faction, emphasized that this legislative innovation is intended to streamline the process of issuing maternity capital. The goal is to make benefits more accessible to families that maintain their citizenship status from birth, irrespective of their current location.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, noted that the Ministry of Finance is not aware of any plans to cut transfers from the budget for maternity capital payments. This statement came in the wake of discussions about the financing of social benefits and the stability of program funding.
In a separate development reported to RBC, the Ministry of Finance was said to have proposed reducing the federal transfer allocated to the Social Fund by 17 percent for maternity capital payments. Analysts suggest that the adjustment could reflect changing birth-rate trends. If these projections hold, the total reduction in transfers over 2024–2026 could reach 356 billion rubles, potentially affecting future funding for maternal support programs.