Abortions are illegal in Germany – but they are not punished in the first three months. The federal government did not bring about any reform itself. MPs from several parliamentary groups now want to change that.
Parliamentarians from several parliamentary groups have submitted a proposal to legalize abortions in the first three months before the federal election.
“We are submitting the proposal to revise abortion regulations because we assume that it can be passed within this legislative period,” explained Green MPs Ulle Schauws and Carmen Wegge from the SPD. The Bundestag can still pass laws until its new election, currently scheduled for February 23rd.
Health insurance companies should bear the costs
According to the MPs’ proposal, abortions should become legal up to the twelfth week. The obligation to provide advice would remain, but without the current obligation to wait three days between advice and termination. If an abortion is carried out without a consultation certificate, only the doctor should in future be liable to prosecution. The woman would remain unpunished.
Statutory health insurance companies should cover the costs of abortions. In addition, abortions should no longer be regulated in the Criminal Code, but in the Pregnancy Conflict Act, which deals with guidelines for counseling.
Back in the spring, a federal government commission of experts recommended, among other things, that abortions be generally permitted in the first twelve weeks.
Draft criticizes contradictions
Abortions are currently illegal according to Section 218 of the Criminal Code. In fact, an abortion in the first twelve weeks remains unpunished if the woman seeks advice beforehand. Abortion also remains unpunished if there are medical reasons or if it is carried out because of rape. The abolition of the paragraph has been debated for years.
The current regulation contains contradictions, according to the draft. Because there is a legal procedure. But even if all requirements are adhered to, abortions cannot be carried out legally – which has a deterrent effect on medical staff.
In addition, the current twelve-week period in combination with the obligation to consult and the three-day waiting period makes it difficult for pregnant women who only decide to have an abortion shortly before the end of the period. This also applies to pregnant women who live in regions where it is difficult to find a doctor who will carry out the procedure. The lack of cost coverage by health insurance is also a problem.
Paus criticizes his own federal government
Federal Minister for Women Lisa Paus supports the group application. In her opinion, women should be able to decide independently and self-determinedly how to deal with the pregnancy – “and without being criminalized,” emphasized the Green politician. This attitude is shared by the vast majority of the population and across all party lines.
She criticized the fact that the federal government “did not have the political will to pass a joint draft law on the basis of the commission it had set up on reproductive self-determination and reproductive medicine.”
