The repeal of paragraph 219a of the Criminal Code (ban on advertising for abortions) is one of the projects pursued by the SPD, which failed in the last legislative period due to resistance from the Union parties.
In the traffic light coalition agreement, the SPD, Greens and FDP had therefore agreed that "doctors should be able to provide public information about abortions in the future without having to fear criminal prosecution".
The cabinet passed the draft law on Wednesday, it now has to be discussed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat.
Heike Schmoll
Political correspondent in Berlin, responsible for “Bildungswelten”.
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"We want women to be able to find out as much as possible about the methods and possible risks of abortion," said Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) after the cabinet decision in Berlin and described it as an intolerable situation that doctors of all people who carry out abortions themselves and do it best factual information, under the current legal situation would have to fear criminal prosecution because they made information available.
Minister wants to overturn judgements
The repeal of Section 219a is not enough either, at the same time accompanying changes to the Medicines Advertising Act should ensure that advertising for medically non-indicated abortions is only permitted in future under the strict provisions of the Medicines Advertising Act.
"Misleading or repugnant advertising for all types of abortion remains prohibited," the Justice Department said.
The criminal court judgments made since October 3, 1990 for advertising abortion are to be overturned and the proceedings discontinued.
An annulment of the sentences is preferable to an amnesty: convicted doctors should be freed from the "criminal flaws attached to them", which particularly burden them in their professional ethics.
Federal Family Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) sees the cabinet decision as an important first step "to strengthen women's reproductive rights" and announced that she would set up a commission on women's reproductive self-determination before the end of this legislative period.