"Germany Passes Landmark Law for Gender Transition Rights"

The German parliament passed a law to simplify the process for transgender, intersex, and nonbinary individuals to change their name and gender in official records. The new Self-Determination Act eliminates the need for expert evaluations and court decisions, allowing for a simpler procedure. The law faced opposition from conservative and far-right parties, who raised concerns about potential abuse and family upheavals. Additionally, the parliament approved a law giving married couples more freedom to choose and change their last names, allowing for double names made up of their combined last names and providing provisions for ethnic minorities.