Austria strictly raises marriage for under-18-year-old!

Austria strictly raises marriage for under-18-year-old!

The Austrian Minister of Justice Anna Sporrer (SPÖ) plans to introduce a marriage ban for people under the age of 18. This measure, which has already been initiated by the previous government, is to be implemented shortly. As part of the Ö1 afternoon Journal, Sporrer announced that a ministerial lecture on the decision should be submitted in the coming week. The aim of this legal regulation is to counteract children and forced seeing and in particular to protect young women from early marriages. The minister emphasizes that in this phase of life the training and professional independence of young people should be prioritized. This is particularly important because in 2023 only ten marriages of people under the age of 18 were registered.

At the same time, the Austrian government is also planning a ban on marriages between cousins. Sporrer demands that legal bans should have universal validity and refers to international requirements, including the Child Rights Convention. ÖVP Minister Claudia Plakolm supports the marriage ban and underlines that marriage decisions must be made out of free will. Until October 31, 2024, minors from the age of 16 can still marry parental approval, provided the court confirms the wife. From November 1, 2024, however, the new marriage ban for under 18 year olds will come into force.

Details of the new regulations

In addition, a comprehensive ban on marriages between nearby relatives will be introduced from November 1, 2024. This affects not only cousins, but also marriages between aunts and uncles as well as between nephew and nieces. Protection against involuntary marriages in minors is in the foreground. Marriages that violate this ban on marriage are considered void in Austria and not recognized.

It remains to be seen whether these new regulations may lead to an increase in marriages abroad, since the legal recognition of such marriages in Austria depends on the judiciary and must match the basic values ​​of the Austrian legal system. The international trend towards a married age of 18 years is further reinforced by these reforms in Austria, as the development in other countries also shows.

national perspectives

In the context of this discussion, a draft law in the Bundestag is also important, which deals with the protection of minors at the end of the view. A hearing in the Legal Committee of the Bundestag is planned for June 3, 2024. Different opinions are expected from experts, while the majority of the lawyers reject the current draft. It is emphasized that a decision by the Federal Constitutional Court to combat children's marriages was declared unconstitutional in February 2023. The need for a new regulation by June 30, 2024 is in the room.

The measures taken in both Austria and Germany are part of a greater effort with regard to the protection of minors rights. This could prove to be decisive in combating children's marriages and protecting young people in Europe.