Baden-Württemberg recorded 358 child marriages since 2012, only eight annulled
Authorities in Baden-Württemberg recorded 358 marriages involving a child since April 2012, including cases involving girls as young as 11 and adult men. The figures have renewed attention on child marriage and the protection of minors, after state politicians sought the data through a parliamentary inquiry.
Only eight of the recorded marriages were formally annulled, and the state government said there are currently no legal proceedings to annul any of them. The data includes 350 cases recorded since 2015; many involved people from Syria, Iraq and Pakistan, and nearly 40 per cent were between Syrians, according to an AfD politician who requested the figures. The article also cites UN estimates that nearly one in five women worldwide married before 18.
- Baden-Württemberg recorded 358 marriages involving children since 2012.
- Only eight cases were formally annulled.
- The figures have raised questions about safeguards for minors.
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Child marriage is a legal or informal union involving a person under 18, typically a girl. Such marriages are considered harmful because they usually end a child's education, pose serious health risks particularly from early pregnancy, and create relationships with severe power imbalances. Most developed nations, including Germany, have laws prohibiting such unions.
Germany has become home to large numbers of refugees and migrants from regions where child marriage is more prevalent, including Syria, Iraq and Pakistan. Whilst child marriage is illegal in Germany, concerns have emerged about whether authorities are effectively preventing and challenging such unions where they occur. The issue has become increasingly visible in German public and political debate in recent years.
Data investigations into marriage records can help establish the actual scale of the problem locally. Understanding how many child marriages are occurring, who is involved and what legal action is being taken helps authorities and policymakers determine whether current laws and enforcement are adequate. Such scrutiny is particularly important for protecting children in vulnerable communities.
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The case for
These 358 registered child marriages represent a serious failure of child protection – whether newly registered in Germany or migrated from elsewhere, the fact that only eight have been annulled indicates inadequate intervention to remedy abuse. Children as young as 11 subjected to marriage to adults have had their fundamental rights violated, and authorities must act decisively to annul these marriages and provide protection.
The case against
The significance of these figures requires careful analysis of their context – many likely involve marriages already concluded in countries of origin before migration, which raises distinct legal and administrative questions from domestic child marriages. The low annulment rate may reflect legal complexities in recognising foreign marriages and the need for proper due process rather than automatic intervention. The AfD's use of these statistics risks weaponising child protection concerns into anti-immigration rhetoric, potentially obscuring genuine policy questions about how best to protect vulnerable young people.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Hundreds of child marriages revealed in Germany – with girls as young as 11 married to Iraqis, Syrians and Pakistanis”.