- The German Bundestag has decided to lift the controversial advertising ban for abortions.
- A large majority of MPs voted in favor of the government’s bill to remove the relevant section 219a of the Penal Code.
- The controversial paragraph has so far meant that doctors have not been able to publicly offer detailed information about abortions without fear of prosecution.
In recent years, doctors have repeatedly been fined for advertising on their websites that they offer abortions.
Nothing will change in the German abortion law itself. According to the current legal situation, an abortion is not punishable in Germany if it is carried out in the first three months after conception after mandatory conflict counseling. There are also no legal consequences if there are medical reasons for the termination or if the woman was raped.