According to German media on the local time of November 9, Julia Klockner, president of the German Bundestag and a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), recently stated that Germany has become "a brothel in Europe" and called for implementing the "Nordic model" to restrict the sex industry.

On the local time of November 4, Klockner criticized the current laws on the sex industry during a speech, stating that sex workers are not adequately protected. She said, "I am convinced that we ultimately have to ban prostitution and the purchase of sexual services in this country."

Klockner's views were immediately supported by the Minister of Health, Volker, also a CDU member. Volker stated, "Like other countries, Germany needs to legislate to criminalize the act of clients purchasing sexual services. Sex workers should be exempt from punishment and receive comprehensive support to exit the industry."

Since the implementation of the German Prostitution Act in 2002, sex work is no longer officially considered an "immoral" act. Today, sex work has become a formal legal service in Germany, and sex workers have the right to receive the agreed-upon payment.

In 2017, Germany passed the Prostitution Protection Act, aiming to further improve the legal and social situation of sex workers. The law requires sex workers to register their employment information with the relevant authorities, and brothels must obtain operating licenses, which can only be approved if they meet minimum requirements regarding safety, hygiene, and facilities.

The Rope Street in Hamburg has long been the core area of sex work in Germany. German media

According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, as of the end of 2024, there were approximately 32,300 registered sex workers in Germany, of whom only 5,600 were German citizens. Approximately 11,500 sex workers came from Romania, and 3,400 from Bulgaria. Researchers estimate that the lower limit of unregistered sex workers is between 200,000 and 400,000, and the upper limit may be as high as 1 million.

The majority of the sex worker population in Germany are foreign women with limited German language skills. Due to their lack of knowledge about their rights, they almost cannot access existing health services and support resources. These women are mostly forced into sex work due to poverty or coercion by pimps.

Critics of the current law argue that legalizing sex work has led to a sharp expansion of the related market, and increased competition has caused a significant drop in the price of sexual services. According to the annual report on human trafficking published by the Federal Criminal Police Office, cases of human trafficking and forced prostitution have increased, and more clients with abusive behaviors have also been attracted.

Klockner and Volker publicly support introducing the so-called "Nordic model," which has reactivated the long-standing debate in Germany.

This model was introduced in Sweden in 1999 and adopted by Norway in 2009, followed by Iceland, Canada, France, Ireland, and Israel. Its core is "punishing the buyers but not the sellers," meaning that buying sexual services and organized sexual service intermediaries are prohibited, but direct provision of sexual services is not prohibited. This means that clients and pimps will be convicted, while sex workers will not be punished.

This model also provides comprehensive support and exit assistance programs for sex workers. Clients will face fines, and in Sweden, they may even be sentenced to a maximum of one year in prison. Norway also prosecutes citizens who purchase sexual services abroad.

Many critics of the "Nordic model" believe that sex work is essentially a profession and that efforts should focus on strengthening the rights of sex workers so they can work independently. They advocate for combating forced prostitution by protecting the rights of these individuals and working to eliminate the stigma associated with sex work. Advocates for sex worker rights worry that criminalizing the purchase of sexual services will push sex workers into more hidden and unprotected areas.

Supporters of the model argue that most sex work is already in a secret state and not subject to legal constraints. They state that people who are forced into sex work should not be punished by law. Legalization would make sex workers more willing to report clients to the police or courts because they would have clear protection rights and access to help. If those who pay for sexual services are held criminally responsible, the overall scale of the sex industry will decrease.

Data from countries that have adopted the "Nordic model" show a significant reduction in the number of known sex workers and clients. A recent study by the University of Tübingen concluded that this model "can objectively and measurably reduce the number of human trafficking victims in the long term."

The advocacy organization "Federation Nordic Model Association" states that legislation alone is not sufficient to improve the situation of forced prostitution. The organization claims that sufficient financial support must be provided for those who want to leave the sex industry, and the rights of the victims must be significantly strengthened. In addition, funds must be invested in providing widespread social support so that the relevant groups can have their own housing, access to psychological counseling, and educational opportunities. Investment in prevention is also crucial, and efforts to combat pimping and human trafficking must continue, thereby shrinking the market for forced prostitution overall.

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