CDU politician Gitta Connemann sharply criticized the churches for their resistant stance regarding the adoption of the opt-out (or ‘dissent solution’) model for organ donation. Speaking to the newspaper “Stern”, she stated that she cannot understand nor accept the current situation, arguing that the principle of voluntary consent must be maintained, yet every person should be required to make a decision on the matter. Connemann declared that “the time for waiting and avoiding the issue is over”.
As a CDU economic policy expert, Connemann is part of a cross-party group that advocates for implementing this opt-out system in the Bundestag. She explained the proposed mechanism: “Every person who turns eighteen should receive a letter stating: You have the decision, but if you do not report back, we will interpret your behavior as yes, and you will become an organ donor”.
The current system relies on an explicit consent (‘opt-in’) for organ donation following a brain death. Ricarda Lang, a former Green Party chair, noted to “Stern” that this current approach has failed to result in a measurable increase in organ donations, saying, “We need to be honest today: it has not yielded results”. Lang further emphasized, “It is unacceptable to force someone to be a donor against their will. Never. But it is reasonable that we, at least once in our lives, address organ donation and make an active decision”.
Connemann also highlighted that most EU countries have already adopted the opt-out system, meaning German tourists could automatically become donors without prior instruction. She pointed out that “if you suffer a serious accident in Spain, Croatia, or the Netherlands, you are automatically an organ donor unless you have specified otherwise”.
