German SPD right‑to‑forgotten proposal

In late July 2026 the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) began advancing a legislative initiative that would give cancer survivors a five‑year “right to be forgotten.” On 25 July party leaders Lars Klingbeil and Manuela Schwesig announced a draft that would forbid institutions such as insurers, banks and employers from asking about a cured cancer after a five‑year period, aiming to stop discriminatory premium surcharges and contract refusals. The proposal was slated for a vote by the SPD executive board.

By 30 July the SPD reinforced its push, citing an estimated 5.5 million cancer survivors in Germany and survey results showing 40 % experiencing adverse treatment and up to 77 % facing discrimination in credit and insurance matters. The party argued that the measure would align legal practice with medical standards that consider survivors cured after the specified period, further emphasizing the need to remove outdated medical data from risk assessments.