The Bundestag has approved the coalition compromise on the so-called advertising ban on abortions. The reform of Paragraph 219a was approved by a clear majority vote.

The agreement found after violent struggle between the CDU, CSU and SPD provides for an amendment to the paragraph:

  • The exception is that the advertising ban does not apply to doctors, hospitals and other facilities that perform abortions.
  • This allows them to inform about the fact that they offer crashes.
  • In addition, a provision is added to the Pregnancy Conflict Act, which requires the German Medical Association to keep a list of doctors, hospitals and institutions that perform abortions.
  • The list is also made available to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) and the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society.

This operates the help phone "pregnant in need". The list also provides information on various options and methods that the respective physicians offer at abortion.

Because in future may be on the lists, but not on the websites of doctors informed about the methods, critics see a problem here: What the Giessen doctor Kristina Hänel has published on the Internet, probably remains punishable by the new law. Hänel, who had been convicted of violating Paragraph 219a, had started the debate on the law.


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