The Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag supports the initiative put forward by the CDU-led states of Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt to restrict the provisions of the Self-Determination Law. According to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (Wednesday edition), the Union group’s legal advisor, Martin Plum, stated that allowing changes to name and gender registration without prerequisites could create opportunities for potential misuse. He asserted that this risk had been apparent even when the traffic light coalition adopted the Self-Determination Law, confirming that the multi-state proposal for a “legal review mechanism in cases of obvious abuse” was well-timed. Plum further noted that cases, such as Liebich’s, indicate that the law cannot remain unchanged, emphasizing the critical need to prevent abuse effectively and give registry offices secure operational guidelines. Consequently, the Self-Determination Law must be not only evaluated but also swiftly reformed.
The current Self-Determination Law allows transgender, intersex, and non-binary individuals to change their gender marker in the personal register and alter their first names simply by filing a declaration with the registry office. Critically, this process has no bearing on any medical treatment. Prior to October 2024, the “Transsexual Law” required applicants to obtain two expert reports and a court decision to change their gender registration. This previous process was often lengthy and expensive for those affected, though the mandatory requirement for expert opinions was a point of criticism among medical professional associations.
