One-third of Russians feel foreigners should be allowed to adopt Russian children

One-third of all Russians (32%) feel that the law permitting foreigners to adopt Russian children should be softened. Such was the result of an all-Russian survey conducted by the polling firm ROMIR Monitoring in February. A slightly lesser number - 30 percent - take the opposite view and feel that the law should be toughened. In addition, 29 percent feel that adoptions by foreigners should be completely proscribed.

Characteristically, the greatest percentage expressing approval for the easing of restrictions on adoptions are younger people, whereas those opposed are mainly to be found in the 35- to 44-year-old age group. People older than 60 are in the majority of those favoring a complete ban on adoptions by foreigners. The greater the income and education level of the respondents, the more likely they are to regard the adoption of children by foreigners with equanimity.