Cologne considers banning catcalling in local ordinance

Politicians in North Rhine-Westphalia are pushing for legal measures to combat catcalling and verbal sexual harassment in public spaces. The city of Cologne is considering incorporating catcalling into its local city ordinance as undesirable behavior, which would make it one of the first German cities to penalize such actions.

Similar political initiatives have been raised in Duisburg, Dortmund, and Bochum. However, municipal officials note that questions regarding the legal authority of cities to penalize these acts and the specific role of local regulatory offices remain unresolved. The city administration aims to provide clarity on these issues by late September 2026.

At the federal level, German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) previously announced plans to draft legislation to protect women from verbal sexual harassment. The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that internal government consultations regarding a specific regulatory proposal are currently underway, with the goal of publishing a draft law in the near future.