Germany plans to ease rules on gender changes

The German government presented plans to make it easier for transgender people to formally change their name and gender, ending decades-old rules that require them to get expert assessments and a court's authorization.

Under the planned “self-determination law,” adults would be able to change their first name and legal gender at registry offices without further formalities.

Over the years, Germany's top court struck down other provisions that required transgender people to get divorced and sterilized, and to undergo gender-transition surgery.

The coalition government aims to ease the path to German citizenship, lift restrictions on dual citizenship and reduce the minimum age for voting in national and European Union elections from 18 to 16.