Bundestag approves new legislation concerning underage weddings.
The German parliament, Bundestag, is set to vote on a new rule this Friday that will safeguard minors in marriages contracted overseas. The proposed legislation declares marriages of minors under 16 years as invalid under German law. However, it also includes additional stipulations, such as those pertaining to maintenance claims.
In February 2023, judges in Karlsruhe endorsed this ban. Yet, they urged the legislator to formulate these regulations before June 30, 2024, to minimize the adverse effects of the ban on individuals impacted. The ban on underage marriages is retained in the proposed law. The law states that "this legal outcome will be complemented by regulations on maintenance claims for the protection of the minor person and the option of remarriage without the requirement of a marriageability certificate."
Two days prior to the European elections in Germany, MPs plan to deliberate "current European politics" on Friday (commencing at 9:00 am). A planned speaking length of 70 minutes is set aside for this discussion.
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The new regulation approved by the Bundestag aims to preserve the rights of children who were subjected to child marriages overseas by declaring such marriages invalid under German law. Moreover, the legislation provides for maintenance claims to ensure the protection and well-being of the minor party in the event of divorce or separation, and does not require a marriageability certificate for remarriage.
