Germany's Federal Council, the Bundesrat, has adopted a series of significant amendments to criminal law. Key changes include increased protection for women against illegal photography, harsher penalties for using Nazi symbols in schools, and the introduction of weapon-free zones in Kaiserslautern. These decisions are a response to growing threats in public spaces and the need to protect constitutional order in educational institutions.
Protection against upskirting
Strengthening criminal regulations protecting women against illegal and humiliating photography in public places.
Nazi symbols in schools
Tightening criminal law to more effectively prosecute cases of using unconstitutional symbols in educational institutions.
Weapon-free zone in Kaiserslautern
Introduction of a ban on carrying weapons in specific parts of the city following a series of dangerous knife attacks.
The German Bundesrat approved a legislative package on Friday that significantly modifies the country's criminal code and public order regulations. One of the most important changes is an initiative aimed at better protecting women against so-called "upskirting" and other forms of humiliating photography without the consent of the person concerned. The chamber found that previous regulations were insufficient in light of the development of mobile technology and the growing problem of privacy violations in public places. Simultaneously, lawmakers focused on the issue of safety in schools, particularly in the context of promoting totalitarian ideologies. The new regulations bring Germany closer to fully penalizing the use of symbols of organizations deemed unconstitutional, including Nazi symbolism, on the premises of educational institutions. Until now, there were legal loopholes that allowed avoidance of criminal liability in specific school contexts, which drew opposition from the public and Jewish organizations. This reform aims to clearly indicate that school is a space free from hatred and extremism. The German legal system has rigorously addressed the symbolism of the Third Reich since the end of World War II, regulated by Section 86a of the Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch), which prohibits the use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations. An important element of Friday's deliberations was also the situation in Kaiserslautern, where, following a series of brutal incidents, including knife attacks, it was decided to create a special weapons ban zone. This decision fits into a broader trend in Germany, where local authorities are increasingly using administrative instruments to limit access to dangerous tools in city centers and near train stations. By clearing the way for these laws, the Bundesrat confirmed the priority treatment of internal security and the protection of individual rights in the face of changing social challenges. „Bundesrat macht Weg für wichtige Gesetze frei” (Bundesrat clears the way for important laws) — Bundesrat statement