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Russians’ ideal family: Poll says over 40% believe it consists of two or three children

Every fourth said egoism and unwillingness to part with their personal freedom as the reason for childlessness

MOSCOW, July 17. /TASS/. More than 40% of Russian nationals believe that a family needs two or three children to be ‘ideal’, an opinion poll carried out by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center suggests.

"The share of those who believe an ‘ideal’ family must have three children has grown sizably (from 28% in 2014 to 43% in 2018). Another 42% believe two children make the family happy," the pollster said in a report issued on Tuesday.

"Only 3% of those polled said one child is enough for a family (against 10% in 2014)," it said.

Over half (54%) of the respondents believe children strengthen the family and they must be born out of love. Every fifth Russian national polled said children are the reason to live, they offer the opportunity to love and care for somebody. Another 14% see children as a means of providing future generations and improving the demographic situation. Another 12% expect that children will support their parents in their old age.

Almost half of the people polled, 44%, see tight finances as the reason why some people choose not to have children. Every fourth (25%) said egoism and unwillingness to part with their personal freedom as the reason for childlessness.

The opinion poll was carried out on May 28 and 29. A total of 2,000 people were surveyed.