The SPD is increasing pressure on the CDU/CSU coalition partner to remove ticketing fraud from criminal law. Carmen Wegge, the SPD parliamentary spokesperson for legal policy, told the “Rheinische Post” (Thursday edition) that, “For us it is clear: whoever takes bureaucracy relief seriously should also say that paragraph 265a of the German Criminal Code no longer belongs in a modern criminal law in this form”. The SPD’s goal is to reach a consensus on this issue with the coalition partner.
Wegge added that her parliamentary group has long campaigned for the complete removal of driving without a ticket from criminal law and an end to substitute incarceration penalties in this area. “Against this background, we welcome it if Federal Minister of Justice Hubig seriously examines a legislative change, and we explicitly support this concern” she stated.
The Greens are urging for a quick decriminalization. Lena Gumnior, the chairwoman of the Committee for Law and Consumer Protection, told the “Rheinische Post” that “The current regulation in paragraph 265a of the German Criminal Code is unjust and discriminatory. If someone cannot pay an imposed fine, they often end up in prison due to substitute incarceration. Prosecuting such trivial cases places a very heavy burden on the justice system”.
This Thursday, the Bundestag is scheduled to debate two draft laws on decriminalizing fare evasion, submitted by the Greens and Linke. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig (SPD) has recently shown openness to decriminalizing fare evasion.
