Russian women's retirement age softened

Russia's State Duma adopted amendments proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to raise the retirement age for women by five years instead of eight under pension-reform legislation that has prompted large protests. The lawmakers voted 385-0 to push the president's proposed amendments through.

"We found a consensus on this issue and everyone has upheld the president’s amendments," speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said following the voting.

Thus, lawmakers adopted a proposal to set 65 years as a retirement age for men, and 60 years for women. 

The pension system bill was considered in the lower house of parliament in the second reading.

An amendment giving mothers with many children a right to early retirement, at 50-57 years, was also backed by the State Duma. The document also lowering a labor experience term enabling to retire on a pension earlier, from 45 to 42 for men, and from 40 to 37 for women.

Moreover, unemployment allowance is to be increased for persons nearing retirement age starting 2019.

The vote took place against the backdrop of Communist Party supporters protesting the bill outside the Duma building. Volodin rebuked his Communist Party colleagues who attended the vote wearing T-shirts with the numbers 63 and 65 crossed out.

"I think you can buy a jacket and a tie on a deputy’s salary. Our wages are much higher than those who elected us," Intrfax cited the speaker as saying.

Last month, the Russian leader announced plans to amend government-backed legislation that would see the retirement age increase for men from 60 to 65 and for women, from 55 to 63. He proposed reducing the pension age increase for women to 60 and allowing early retirement for mothers of three or more children, among other measures. 

On July 19, the State Duma passed the pension system bill in the first reading. Initially, the document, which was suggested in mid-June by the government, provided a gradual increase in the retirement age of up to 65 years for men and up to 63 years for women.

The Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economics and Public Administration, Yuri Gorlin, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted in the first place that 60 years is nearly an optimal retirement age for women. "A few years ago we conducted studies, according to which, the retirement age really should be increased. But based on demographic factors, the possibilities for continuing work, women's social functions, the age limit for raising should not exceed 58-60 years. Therefore, the idea of ​​raising it to 63 years was too much," he said.

At the same time, the expert expressed the opinion that the optimal retirement age for men would be 61-63 years. "Today, the average retirement period for Russian men is 15-16 years, which is one of the lowest in the world. That's for 60 years, and at 63 years it will be the lowest. The probability for Russian men to live with the retirement age of 60 is about 67-68%, which is one of the lowest indicators," the deputy director of the Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting at RANEPA explained.