Germany’s Ongoing Debate on Sex Work: From Legalization to the Nordic Model
- Filip
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
Germany has long operated under a system of legalization via the Prostitutionsgesetz of 2002 and the Prostituiertenschutzgesetz (PSchG) of 2017, which regulate sex work, require registration of sex workers, and grant limited labor protections . But that status quo is being heavily questioned.
Major voices within the CDU/CSU parliamentary group have formally proposed adopting the Nordic model—criminalizing the purchase of sex while decriminalizing those selling it, paired with exit programs and anti-trafficking efforts.
A significant milestone was a formal Bundestag motion in February 2024, supported by figures like Yvonne Magwas (CDU), Beate Müller‑Gemmeke (Greens), Maria Noichl (SPD/MEP), and others, calling for a shift toward the Nordic model and condemning Germany’s current system as contributing to trafficking and exploitation.
Upsides and Criticisms: What Advocates and Sex Workers Are Saying
Supporters say the Nordic model is all about leveling the playing field and cracking down on trafficking, by going after the buyers, not the sex workers. It’s been pushed by the EU’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, with German MEP Maria Noichl leading the charge.
However, sex worker advocacy groups such as Hydra, Sex Worker Action Group Berlin, ESWA, and others strongly oppose the Nordic model. They assert it pushes sex work underground, increases stigma, and undermines sex workers’ agency and safety.
A 2025 article by ESWA notes the potential harms of criminalizing clients while that model is debated in Germany.
Political Landscape on Sex Work: Will Germany Make the Switch?
Germany’s in the middle of a big federal review of its Prostitutes Protection Act, with results expected in 2025.
Some politicians—mostly from the CDU/CSU and a few SPD regions—are pushing to scrap the current system and bring in the Nordic model instead. But SPD leadership, along with the Greens, FDP, and even the AfD, aren’t on board.
If the review ends up showing that the current laws aren’t doing enough to protect sex workers or stop trafficking, there could be calls for a legal shake-up. Whether that actually means going full Nordic, though, is still totally up in the air.
Watch our interview with Sex Work Activists Mey Magdalene and Edie Montana from Berlin Strippers Collective.
Final Thoughts
Germany is in the midst of a heated debate: continue a regulated-but-criticized legalization, or pivot toward the Nordic model, which promises to reduce demand but could push conditions underground. Sex-worker groups advocate a third way—full decriminalization with labor protections.
Across Europe, policymakers grapple with three competing frameworks. The Nordic model enjoys institutional interest, especially from gender-based violence advocates—but it faces mounting critiques from human rights coalitions and many sex workers themselves.
Whether one model will come to define European policy—or whether a hybrid, rights-based approach will emerge—remains an open question.
