German Constitutional Court: Law Regarding Underage Marriage Must Be Amended

The German Constitutional Court has amended a law today, Wednesday, that does not recognize the legality of marriages involving minors under the age of 16 conducted abroad. The court stated in a press release that the law must include regulatory provisions allowing for the recognition of the marriage's validity once the individuals reach adulthood, as well as rules regarding alimony payments. The law must be amended by June 30, 2024, to align with the constitution. This amendment is related to the case of a Syrian couple, whose marriage was declared void upon their arrival as refugees in Germany. The girl, who was 14 years old at the time, married a man seven years her senior in a Sharia court in Syria in 2015. After their arrival in Germany, the underage girl was separated from her husband and placed in a facility designated for female refugees.