Section 219a: Traffic light government wants to remove controversial "advertising ban" for abortions

The coalition agreement of the future traffic light government provides for paragraph 219a to be deleted from the penal code.

It regulates abortion in Germany.

Berlin - What do cigarettes and abortions have in common? It is forbidden to advertise it in Germany. Print products, the Internet and television have been tobacco-free for years, and the glow stick advertisements should disappear from billboards and bus stops at the turn of the year. There has always been an advertising ban on abortions - with the subtle difference that this is not about any colorful pictures or video clips intended to tempt people to smoke, but about medical information.

The controversial ban on advertising for abortions is set out in Section 219a of the Criminal Code and regulates the extent to which doctors may publicly inform their patients about abortions: namely not.

The upcoming federal government consisting of the SDP, the Greens and the FDP * wants to change that and delete the corresponding paragraph from the penal code.

Traffic light coalition agreement: "Advertising" for abortions should be allowed

"Doctors should be able to provide public information about abortions without having to fear prosecution," says the coalition agreement * between the SPD *, the Greens * and the FDP * presented on Wednesday, which

advance.

The aim is to strengthen women's right to self-determination and to create security of supply.

Pregnancy conflict counseling should be possible online.

"Legal measures" should be taken against harassing actions by anti-abortionists.

Health insurance companies should be able to reimburse contraceptives as a statutory benefit.

"The costs are taken over for low-wage earners," it continues.

At the same time, better support is to come for those who do not want to have children.

Traffic light government wants to delete controversial paragraph 219a from the penal code

The advertising ban on abortions has been a topic of discussion for years. It was last adjusted in 2019. Since then, doctors have been allowed to publicly inform that abortions are part of their services, for example on their website. You are not allowed to give further information publicly; also not which method of termination of pregnancy - medicinal or surgical - they are carrying out.

Some people are particularly annoyed by the term "advertising" in Paragraph 219a.

“Information is not advertising,” writes the Pro Familia advice center network, for example.

Daniel Drepper, editor-in-chief of Ippen Investigativ, also described the term in the editorial network Germany as misleading.

"The word advertising ban sounds as if it were only forbidden to women doctors to book sensational TV spots or to give special discounts on cancellations." But the paragraph goes much further, he explains: from "offering, announcing and promoting" is the Speech.

Section 219a on abortion on the brink: This is how it goes on now

The traffic light coalition * now wants to delete it.

The Federal Constitutional Court also wants to decide on this in the coming months.

The far-reaching question of whether "regulations for abortion outside of the penal code" are possible, on the other hand, should first be examined by a commission.