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Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann
Photo: Thomas Trutschel / AP
Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) has announced a comprehensive reform of naming rights that will give citizens more freedom when choosing double names.
"We have to open up to a changing society when it comes to naming rights," said Buschmann of the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung".
Today's naming law is "a big irrational mess".
The traffic light government had agreed to liberalize naming rights in its coalition agreement, but only gave a few details.
Now the Minister of Justice is more specific.
More freedom with double names?
"We have to give people more freedom to design their family names, otherwise we'll get absurd results that no one can seriously want anymore," demanded Buschmann.
Spouses could not adopt a joint double name, nor could their children.
Name law only allows a spouse to add their name to the common married name after marriage.
It gets even more complicated after a divorce, Buschmann said.
"Adult children sometimes have to keep the surname of a step-parent with whom they no longer have anything to do, against their own will and that of a parent," said the minister.
The name is a very personal matter, according to Buschmann.
"And I trust people to find a solution that suits them."
che/AFP