Current Event 2/12/12

http://www.news24.com/World/News/Putin-vows-to-grow-Russian-population-20120213

In Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin vowed to reverse the demographic decline and boost the population of the country to 154 million in order to ramp up his re-election campaign. Putin has also promised salary hikes for teachers and doctors. He also discussed other social policies that could increase Russia's population which was gone down to 147 million and could fall drastically to as much as 107 million by 2050 if nothing is done. After seeking two presidential terms between 2000 and 2008 Putin is seeking a third term however he is facing a huge legitimacy crisis. Some problems that the Russian population is currently facing are unhealthy lifestyles, a disregard for safety protocols, and combating alcohol and drug abuse. Critics however believe this isn't going to work because one in eight Russians still lives in poverty making the gap between rich and poor pretty big. The social issues mentioned in this article will probably be a big part of Putin's campaign to get elected because they have such huge consequences on the country. If Russia's population does not stop declining than the biggest country in the world will have a lot of open space with a small population.