Bundestag: Emotional Bundestag debate about abortions

There has been an emotional debate in the Bundestag about new regulations on abortions. The trigger is an initiative driven largely by the Greens and the SPD, according to which an abortion should no longer be fundamentally illegal until the end of the twelfth week of pregnancy. Abortion is currently a criminal offense under Section 218 of the Criminal Code – but it is not punished if it takes place within the first twelve weeks and the woman has sought advice beforehand.

“Criminal law not only leads to stigmatization of women and doctors, but also has a dramatic impact on the health care situation in this country,” said SPD politician Carmen Wegge, justifying the reform proposal. Fewer and fewer doctors are willing to carry out abortions. Ulle Schauws from the Green Party emphasized that feelings of guilt for women must finally come to an end. Paragraph 218 symbolizes “that a woman does not have the right to decide about her pregnancy and therefore her life and her body”.

The Union, on the other hand, sees no acute need for action, but criticizes that the reform should be pushed through quickly and without social debate. “As a Union, we stand by the current regulations,” said MP Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker. Women could already decide freely whether they wanted to continue their pregnancy or terminate it. At the same time, the child’s right to life is also respected. “It’s a matter of life and death for the unborn,” she emphasized. Beatrix von Storch from the AfD argued similarly. “Women can now end the life of their unborn child with impunity – I personally think that’s terrible,” she said.

FDP MPs particularly criticized the fact that this important debate was being conducted in a hurry. Gyde Jensen said she had long since decided herself. “On a personal note: Anyone who is in this difficult situation should not be exposed to the additional burden of potentially committing a crime.” But others may still need time to think and weigh things up individually. Therefore, the debate should be continued calmly and seriously after the new election on February 23rd.

The proposal from the cross-party group of 328 MPs will now be discussed further in the Legal Affairs Committee. There, however, it threatens to fizzle out – because it is still unclear whether the issue will be put back on the parliamentary agenda for a decision before the federal election.