Evolving Perspectives on Marriage Age in Modern Russia
According to current observations in Russia, early marriages—especially when men marry before the age of 25—are becoming less common, which has a certain impact on social stability and the quality of family relationships. For instance, the head of the Gagarinsky Registry Office in Moscow, Alexandra Ulyanova, notes that “if in the past many married before 18 by the decision of the executive committee or by the order of the prefectures, now that figure has decreased to a minimum, and the age at marriage has increased: 26, 27, 28 years is now the norm” (source: link txt). This indicates that current practices favor later marriages.In addition to the statistical trend, public opinion is forming around the idea that a man “only grows until twenty-five—if a modern man matures by thirty-five, that’s good, but at thirty he is still a little boy who understands nothing and cannot be entrusted with responsibilities” (source: link txt). This assertion underlines the belief that marrying before reaching full maturity may negatively affect a man’s ability to manage family and social responsibilities.Thus, it can be concluded that in modern Russia, men marrying before the age of 25 are now less common than in the past, and such practice is perceived as potentially having a negative impact on the quality of family relationships and, more broadly, on social foundations.