'Russia now has more single parents, widows than two-parent families'

Russia now has more single parents and widows than two-parent families, prompting calls for initiatives to bring them together, according to Leonid Slutsky, the leader of Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR). Speaking to a gathering of students, Slutsky, who assumed leadership following the passing of iconic leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky in 2022, proposed the idea of assembling a nationwide dating program to address this issue. “We have considered the possibility of creating such a program, taking inspiration from countries like Great Britain and Japan, despite our differences with them,” Slutsky mentioned. He highlighted that these nations have experience in establishing agencies for single individuals, which could serve as a valuable model. Citing government statistics agency Rosstat, Slutsky emphasized that loneliness is a leading cause of psychological disorders. He argued that a nationwide program to unite single parents and facilitate the formation of new families could be a promising solution. In addition to this proposal, the LDPR recently put forward the idea of developing an alternative to Tinder after the popular dating app announced its withdrawal from the Russian market. The party has organized an in-person dating forum named “LDPR with Love” scheduled for September, inviting people from across the nation to participate. According to the organizers, this event will be Russia’s largest dating marathon, offering individuals the opportunity to connect with potential life partners who share common interests within their own cities. Addressing the issue of loneliness, the event’s website stated, “Loneliness is akin to an ailment; one must urgently seek happiness.” Notably, hundreds of individuals have already registered to take part in the event. Slutsky acknowledged that many young Russians are focused on building their careers, often struggling to find suitable partners. He suggested that the LDPR with Love event could provide an ideal platform for “lonely hearts to meet” and proposed holding similar events across the country.