Russian women should wear mini-skirts more frequently to help boost the country’s birth rate, a local legislator has suggested.

Russia is experiencing its most severe demographic decline since the collapse of the Soviet Union, prompting politicians from President Vladimir Putin to local councillors to propose measures to increase the population. While many have focused on financial incentives, childcare support and social benefits, this latest suggestion is perhaps the most unconventional.

Writing on social media, Evgeny Rudenko, a deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) in the Tarusa City Council, Kaluga region, argued that wearing revealing clothing increases a woman’s chances of marriage. Rudenko urged women in his city to wear mini-skirts on sunny days, claiming that female members of his LDPR party occasionally "delight" men by doing so.

According to Rudenko, in the 1970s, "everyone wore mini-skirts, marriages were strong, and families were being created."

“Because of modesty, women are getting married less often,” he wrote on the Russian social network VKontakte in response to critical comments. "Only gay men don’t like women in mini-skirts."

When challenged over his remarks, he dismissed criticism, insisting that “real guys” appreciate women in mini-skirts and further escalating his rhetoric with homophobic slurs.

The proposal sparked a sharp response from Russian lawmakers. Nina Ostanina, head of the State Duma's Family Committee, rejected Rudenko’s remarks as "the ravings of a madman." She argued that elected officials should focus on meaningful legislative measures to support families rather than making controversial statements.

According to the Federal State Statistics Service (RosStat), Russia registered only 1.22mn births in 2024, marking the ninth consecutive annual decline and the lowest figure since 1999. The total fertility rate (TFR) has dropped to 1.399 as of January 2025, the lowest in 18 years, following a 21% decline over the past nine years.

Other Russian politicians have also suggested unconventional proposals aimed at increasing birth rates. Previously, an MP suggested that women convicted of crimes could be released from prison in exchange for giving birth. Another proposed financial incentives for women who decided against having an abortion, with the government taking custody of their children.

The Russian government has implemented a range of measures to counteract this trend. President Vladimir Putin has called for the restoration of "traditional family values" and set targets to raise the TFR to 1.6 by 2030 and 1.8 by 2036. Policies include financial incentives for large families, stricter enforcement of alimony payments, subsidised housing for young couples and enhanced reproductive education in women’s health clinics.