Germany approves law to protect male circumcision after court ruling branded practice harmful

BERLIN – German lawmakers have approved a bill to keep male infant circumcision legal after a regional court ruled earlier this year that the practice amounts to bodily harm.

The government proposed the law following heavy criticism of the Cologne court ruling by Jewish and Muslim groups.

Jews in particular consider male infant circumcision an ancient and essential part of their religious tradition.

The new law, passed with 434 to 100 votes, grants parents the right to authorize the circumcision of their sons by a trained practitioner.

Once the boy reaches six months of age the procedure needs to be performed by a doctor.

A cross-party minority in Parliament had proposed that parents should have to wait until their son is 14 so he can give informed consent for the procedure.