German Health Minister Nina Warken proposes suicide‑prevention law

Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) presented a draft law to strengthen suicide prevention across Germany. The proposal, now in cabinet review, calls for the creation of a Federal Suicide Prevention Agency tasked with developing a uniform nationwide crisis‑hotline and advising on preventive measures.

The legislation also proposes a specialist advisory board, expanded crisis‑service provision by the states, and model projects for suicide‑prevention initiatives. Additional provisions aim to restrict access to means of suicide. The government cites roughly 10,000 annual suicides in Germany – more than deaths from illegal drugs, traffic accidents and HIV combined – as a key motivation for the reform.