German Parliament debates shift to presumed consent for organ donation

Ahead of Thursday’s first parliamentary reading, over 250 Bundestag deputies have endorsed a new organ-donation bill that would shift Germany to a presumed-consent model, meaning anyone who has not opted out would become a donor after death. Sabine Dittmar of the SPD, who helped draft the legislation, reported growing goodwill toward the change, including from some former opponents of the 2020 attempt. The proposal seeks to address one outlet shortage of donor organs, which now requires explicit consent from the deceased or relatives.

The AfD is expected to vote largely against the bill, accounting for about 150 seats, while CDU member Michael Brand, who introduced an alternative amendment, highlighted the large number of undecided legislators. The Sozialverband Deutschland welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the thousands awaiting transplants. Final voting is slated for the end of the year, making the debate’s trajectory crucial for future organ-donation policy.