Photo: EPA/DPAThe German parliament passed a law ending child marriage late on Thursday night, officially raising the marriageable age to 18. The new law officially makes 18 the minimum age for marriage. The law allows for exceptions only in particular cases of “hardship” in which the initially underage spouse has since reached adulthood and confirms that they want to remain married. Opposition parties Die Linke (Left Party) and the Greens said that the new rules are too general, and therefore voted against the law. The World Health Organization reports that child brides are also much more vulnerable to dying from complications from pregnancy or giving birth.

Source: The Local June 02, 2017 10:52 UTC