Germany moves to scrap ban on ”advertising” abortions


PTI, Dec 22, 2021, 5:02 PM IST

Berlin: Germany’s justice minister says he will present legislation next month to remove from the country’s criminal code a ban on doctors “advertising” abortions, one of several more liberal social policies that the new government plans.

The three parties that form Chancellor Olaf Scholz ‘s government have long opposed the current rules, but they were defended by the center-right Union bloc of ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel, which is now in opposition.

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in comments to the Funke newspaper group published Wednesday that there is a “huge reform backlog” on social policy. He said the first step will be to scrap a paragraph in Germany’s criminal code that bans “advertising” abortions, and which carries a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.

Under a compromise in 2019, Merkel’s government left the ban formally in place but allowed doctors and hospitals for the first time to say on their websites that they perform abortions. They were not, however, allowed to give more detailed information.

Buschmann said the so-called paragraph 219a constitutes a “penal risk” for doctors performing legal abortions who give factual information on the internet, and that is “absurd.” “Many women who wrestle with themselves on the question of an abortion look for advice on the internet,” he said. “It cannot be that, of all people, the doctors who are professionally best qualified to inform them aren’t allowed to provide information there.” Other changes to social policy planned by the new governing coalition of Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats, the Greens and Buschmann’s Free Democrats include scrapping a 40-year-old law that requires transsexual people to get a psychological assessment and a court decision before officially changing gender, a process that often involves intimate questions.

The coalition has pledged to replace that with a new “self-determination law.”

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

INDIA bloc boosted by people’s mandate in J’khand, fight for tribal rights to continue: Akhilesh

BMTC collects over Rs 19 lakh as fine from those travelling without tickets, occupying ladies seat

LeT member, wanted for terror activities in Bengaluru, extradited from Rwanda

Discussion on ‘Hybrid’ model for hosting Champions Trophy set to dominate ICC meeting

There are talks regarding changing Karnataka Cong president, says Minister Parameshwara

LS, RS got adjourned due to govt’s continuing refusal to allow Oppn to raise Adani ‘scam’: Cong

Donald Trump ‘friend of India’: Minister Goyal

Related Articles More

30 detained over killing of lawyer in clash between Bangladesh police, followers of jailed Hindu leader

‘Monks targetted by Islamist elements’: ISKCON Kolkata flags Bangladesh issue to Modi govt

Jaishankar says Indo-Pacific landscape calls for wider collaborative approach, terms G7 as partner for it

Will impose 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada, Mexico: Trump

Internal divisions leave open question whether Gandhi’s vision will ever be fully realised in India: Bill Clinton

MUST WATCH

Grafting

Coconut Flower

Prakash Belawadi

Naxal Leader Vikram Gowda

Christmas Cake Fruit Mixing


Latest Additions

INDIA bloc boosted by people’s mandate in J’khand, fight for tribal rights to continue: Akhilesh

Khadims say plea against Ajmer dargah ploy to disrupt communal harmony

BMTC collects over Rs 19 lakh as fine from those travelling without tickets, occupying ladies seat

India should be prepared to tackle challenges like cyber warfare, climate change: President Murmu

LeT member, wanted for terror activities in Bengaluru, extradited from Rwanda

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.